Gita 02.64 – Material regulation is the launching pad for spiritual liberation
rāga-dveṣa-vimuktais tu
viṣayān indriyaiś caran
ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā
prasādam adhigacchati (Bg 2.64)
Word-for-word:
rāga — attachment; dveṣa — and detachment; vimuktaiḥ — by one who has become free from; tu — but; viṣayān — sense objects; indriyaiḥ — by the senses; caran — acting upon; ātma-vaśyaiḥ — under one’s control; vidheya-ātmā — one who follows regulated freedom; prasādam — the mercy of the Lord; adhigacchati — attains.
Translation:
But a person free from all attachment and aversion and able to control his senses through regulative principles of freedom can obtain the complete mercy of the Lord.
Explanation:
In this verse, Kṛṣṇa begins to answer Arjuna’s fourth question—vrajeta kim. Vrajeta means to move about. The third question was—how does a self-realized person keep the senses under control? The fourth was—how does he move about in this world?
One cannot simply remain inactive in this world. While moving about, how does one engage the senses in a harmonious, rather than disruptive, manner? That is answered from verse 64 onwards until verse 72.
rāga-dveṣa-vimuktais tu: But (one who is) free from rāga (attachment) and dveṣa (aversion)
viṣayān indriyaiś caran: while moving among the sense objects with the senses,
ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā: bringing them under control of the self, following scriptural rules and regulations
prasādam adhigacchati: such a person attains prasāda (the Lord’s mercy).
The word ‘prasāda’ is often used in the context of edible remnants offered to the Lord. However, that is a specific application of the term. ‘Prasāda’ essentially means mercy, and it also implies purity. One who attains prasāda receives mercy and, through that mercy, attains purity.
In the context of bhakti, prasāda clearly refers to mercy. This is appropriate in the bhakti setting, as Kṛṣṇa has already spoken of mat-paraḥ—fixing the mind on Him. More generally, the principle is that by following higher guidance or divine instruction, one receives a higher benediction.
The instruction for receiving higher benediction is encapsulated in the word vidheyātmā—when we follow Kṛṣṇa’s instructions, we receive Kṛṣṇa’s benediction. That benediction comes in the form of purification, attraction to Him, and the flow of His mercy.
The word ‘caran’ means “moving.” As we move about in this world, we may head in a particular direction, but our senses are also moving—viṣayān indriyaiś caran—toward the sense objects. When that happens, if we are not careful, we can become entangled. We can get sidetracked or even blindsided by the allure of sense objects.
What is the solution? One needs to set aside rāga and dveṣa—attachment and aversion. We all have certain things we like and others we dislike. While we may not be able to completely eliminate these attachments and aversions, we don’t have to let them overpower us. We don’t need to allow them to control us entirely. Instead, we should cultivate a balanced perspective, where our decisions are guided by principles, not by fleeting moods or emotions.
‘Rāga’ and ‘dveṣa’ are essentially moods and emotions. We often observe that the same thing we like today, we may not like tomorrow—and something we dislike today, we may find appealing tomorrow. These reactions are fleeting. The mind is restless, and its responses to situations are unstable and flickering. Because of this, we cannot rely on the mind to consistently guide us in how to live or how to respond to various situations. That is the challenge.
Hence, we need to become free from rāga and dveṣa. When we are no longer driven by attachment and aversion, then—viṣayān indriyaiś caran—even as the senses move toward the sense objects, we do not let them do so based on our default impulses. Viṣayān refers to sense objects, and this verse emphasizes that we should not allow the senses to chase after them merely according to our likes and dislikes.
In essence, we may be moving about in the world, but we don’t let the senses and the sense objects interact in an uncontrolled manner. Going back to the chariot metaphor, we don’t allow the horses to run wherever they please—we hold the reins and guide them. Through that control, we protect ourselves.
Further, it is described as ātma-vaśyair. Instead of being controlled by the vāśa (domination) of rāga and dveṣa, we allow the self—meaning our values and purpose—to take control. Vidheyātmā refers to one who follows scripture. By adhering to scriptural guidance, we align our actions with higher principles, not with fleeting attachments or aversions.
An important principle to understand is—material regulation is the launching pad for spiritual liberation. Often, when we discuss scriptural rules and regulations—you should do this, you should not do that—we might feel that these restrictions will constrict our lives, suffocating us. There are so many enjoyable things in life, yet we are told, don’t do this, don’t do that. This can make us wonder—how do we deal with these constraints?
Actually, the problem lies in the fact that we are viewing life from only one perspective, which is often based on what we have been told to give up. When we talk about material regulation—do this, don’t do that—the purpose is not simply restriction or deprivation. The true purpose is elevation and liberation.
Consider someone who keeps wandering around the foot of a hill or mountain, looking for fruit here or a sight there. Such a person can never ascend. Instead, if they are told, “This is the boundary, you are not meant to go beyond here,” the goal is not just to restrict movement. The purpose is to guide the person to climb the mountain. And once they do, they may discover far more beautiful fruits, flowers, and many other desirable things at the top.
Similarly, the purpose of scriptural rules and regulations, which ask us to keep our material indulgences in check, is not to deprive us but to help us focus our energy on elevating our consciousness. When we elevate our consciousness, we actually experience far greater happiness. Rather than focusing on what we have to give up, we focus on what we can do, on the opportunities we have. For example, by deciding not to get involved in illicit sexual activities or sinful actions, we close off those mental options.
When we do this, our mind becomes free. Why are we saying ‘no’ to these things? Because we are saying ‘yes’ to something higher. What is that higher thing? It is ultimately Kṛṣṇa. By purifying ourselves and fixing our minds on Him, we can elevate ourselves upward, toward Him. This way, our consciousness is given the opportunity to rise and ultimately attain Him.
For instance, whenever a satellite is to be launched into space, there is a launching pad. The satellite doesn’t just fly off—it requires a powerful rocket to propel it into the sky. Similarly, when we practice material regulation, we are not suppressing or eliminating the power of our desires. Instead, the power of our desires, which is usually dissipated at the material level, becomes concentrated on elevating our consciousness. Through material regulation, the desire is focused and redirected, propelling us upward.
In verse 2.41, Kṛṣṇa spoke of ‘ekeha kuru-nandana’—the power of our desire. When we focus our desire solely on attaining Kṛṣṇa, disregarding other distractions, our consciousness becomes fixed on Him. With that mood of dedication, we charge forward toward Kṛṣṇa. This leads to ‘prasādam adhigacchati’—we rise upwards by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.
The whole purpose of not succumbing to attachment and aversion, of regulating the movement of the senses toward sense objects, and of continually following scriptural rules and regulations, is to elevate our consciousness. It is to redirect the power of our desire, not horizontally toward material pursuits, but vertically upward toward Kṛṣṇa. As we draw closer to Kṛṣṇa, who is supremely pure, we also become pure by His mercy. Through His mercy, we attain purity—prasādam adhigacchati.
Hence, while Kṛṣṇa acknowledges that we need to act in this world and use our senses, He emphasizes the need to keep the senses under regulation. The senses should be purposeful—purposeful in the sense that they are focused on serving Kṛṣṇa. When we have that purpose in mind, we continue to move upward toward Kṛṣṇa, progressing until we ultimately attain Him. The result of ‘prasāda’ will be discussed in the next verse.
Thank you.
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