Bhagavad Gita 2.58
yadā saṁharate cāyaṁ
kūrmo ’ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas
tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā
“When one withdraws, like a tortoise tight,
Drawing the senses away from sight,
Detached from pleasures that rise and fall,
In wisdom’s stillness, one stands tall.”
My dear Lord, battling with temptations is an unending challenge for me—now more than ever, in a world filled with aggressively marketed images designed to agitate and captivate the mind.
O Lord, let the presence of such strong temptations not become my excuse for indulging in them or for giving up devotion and devotional principles. Give me the strength to pull my senses away from such temptations and to remember that this withdrawal of my senses is not just a casual choice but a survival necessity—just as it is for a tortoise to withdraw its limbs in the presence of predators.
I especially seek your blessings so that I can find purpose and pleasure in directing my thoughts not just inward toward my soul but also upward toward you, the soul of my soul.
It is only through absorption in you, O Lord, that I can sustainably stay safe in this world, which is filled with temptations that are not just dangerous but also treacherous—especially because they do not appear to be dangerous.
Please, O Lord, help me to focus on you and stay steady and satisfied in you.
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02.58 One who is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects, as the tortoise draws its limbs within the shell, is firmly fixed in perfect consciousness.
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