Transcending the senses

In the context of senses (indriyas) and sense objects (indriya vishay), Bhagavad Gita says that when senses meet sense objects, polarities of pleasure and pain are generated. As a result, senses experience raag and dwesh to their respective sense objects. For example, we feel happy with our praise and get attached to it. Krishna says that these polarities are transient, and one should learn to tolerate these transients. Krishna cautions Arjuna that senses are capable of forcibly carrying away the mind of even an aspiring wise person (2.60).

Restraining the senses

          A natural question arises as to how to restrain the senses. Krishna gave a practical tip in Srimad Bhagavatam (11:20:21) where he compared indriyas with wild horses and advises us to bring the senses under control like a trainer who rides the wild horses by training them. The trainer runs along with them for some time to observe their traits. When he fully understands them, he starts riding them as he wishes. This certainly requires patience, as the trainer can’t control powerful horses in one go, as they will overpower him. Similarly, we have to restrain indriyas through patience and awareness.

While restraining the senses we need to abandon all desires born of sankalp (intention) (6.24). Restraining the senses means renouncing the desire to seek sensual stimuli of our choosing. Krishna assures that once we attain the supreme bliss of transcending senses, we will not be moved even by great sorrows (6.22).

Arjuna too wanted to know about controlling the mind and senses. He says the mind is restless, turbulent, strong, obstinate and difficult to control as the wind (6.34). Krishna says, “No doubt, the mind is restless and difficult to control, but it can be controlled by practice (abhyaas) and dispassion (vairagya) (6.35). Take my word that yoga is hard to attain by the ungoverned man but it can be attained through striving” (6.36). Krishna advised regular practice of controlling senses with determination and enthusiasm (6.23), to bring the restless mind under control (6.26). The key qualities are patience, determination, enthusiasm and consistency.

Vairagya is the polar opposite of raag or attachment. Life gives moments of both raag and vairagya daily, but our mind practices only raag, which is chasing desires. For example, we can get frustrated in a relationship and when it happens, we blame our partner and look for a new relationship. We often fail to realise that attachment (raag) itself holds the seed of dispassion (vairagya). The practice of vairagya is essentially the disciplined control of the senses through determination. It rests on the realisation that we can’t attain joy from outside or from others. Our past experiences of vairagya can deepen this realisation and help us stay aware when similar moments arise in the present.

Witnessing senses

The sense objects can be classified as natural or artificial or man-made. Sense objects of nature like beaches, mountains, wildlife and meadows make us happy and natural calamities give us pain. We prefer to travel to new places and explore nature when one is attached to them.

Similarly, sense objects like cars, planes and air conditioners are human creations. We enjoy the pleasures of these man-made luxuries. At individual level, we generate sense objects like the words we speak. These words carry great power and can influence others deeply. It is not out of place to mention that speeches by various leaders influenced the course of history. When we are attached to them, we try to spend time with people.

Sense objects can also be artificial, like the images or movies on screens like television or cinema. Artificial sense objects have equal potential to influence us, and that’s what we see around us today.

In this regard, Krishna says that the knower of truth, united with self, thinks that “I do nothing at all even while I see, hear, touch, smell, eat, walk, sleep, breathe (5.8) - talk, evaluate and accept. The senses move among sense objects” (5.9).

This is nothing but the art and science of witnessing, in the existential understanding that I do nothing at all. I just witnessed the game of sense and sensory objects. While the physical games are played in the sports arenas, the games of sense and sense objects are played in our minds. The knower of truth or saakshi (witness) keeps observing the games played by these senses in the mind. The maximum reaction for a saakshi is a smile on the face whether in response to praise or criticism.

Krishna spoke about such a saakshi or yogi on different occasions. For one who is self-controlled, Paramatma (Supersoul) is already reached, for he has attained tranquillity. He is balanced in cold and heat, pleasure and pain (seetoshna-sukh-dukh), as also in honour and dishonour (maana-apamaana) (6.7). Wisdom gets established when one completely withdraws their indriyas (senses) from sense objects, like the tortoise withdrawing its limbs (2.58). He who is happy within, who enjoys within, who is illumined by the inner light, such yogis are united with the Lord and are liberated from material existence (5.24). With sins obliterated, doubts removed, senses subjugated, the sages, contributing to the welfare of mankind, attain the bliss of Brahma (absolute) (5.25).

Sacrificing sense activities

Krishna says that some offer all their sense activities and the functions of life force as oblations in the wisdom-kindled yogic flame of inner control of self (4.27).

In day-to-day life, we offer sense-objects like beautiful flowers and tasty food to the Paramatma. This verse takes us beyond this and says that yajna (selfless action) is offering sense activities like taste, beauty or smell themselves and not merely sense-objects. Senses keep connecting us to the external world through attachment to sense-objects and when these senses are sacrificed, what remains is unity with oneness.

A glimpse of Leela or divine play

Krishna gave a hierarchy of senses, mind, intellect and soul to help us control senses and desires (3.42). As the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, the mind, which is the sum of all the senses, is superior to the senses themselves. The mind is limited to fight or flight reactions which are sufficient for animalistic survival. The intellect, however, goes far beyond and differentiates us from animals and hence is superior to the mind. Krishna further says that the self (soul) is superior to intellect and advises us to use it to annihilate the enemy of desire which is hard to conquer with the mind or the intellect (3.43).

On the other hand, Krishna says, “A part of My eternal self, manifests as a living soul in the world of beings and attracts five senses and the mind, which are a part of prakriti (15.7). Presiding over the mind and the senses of hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell, he (the embodied soul) experiences the objects of the sensory world” (15.9). 

Krishna urges us to use the soul to overcome desires and control the senses. Yet, He also reveals that it is the soul - an eternal part of Himself - that draws the five senses and the mind. This paradox offers a glimpse of His Leela, or divine play.