The Need to Control the Senses🔗

3.38 As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb,

So also, the living being is covered by lust.

3.39 The knowledge of the knower is covered by this eternal enemy in the form of lust,

Which is never satisfied and burns like fire, O son of Kunti.

3.40 The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the locations of this lust,

Which confuses the embodied being and covers the knowledge.

3.41 Therefore, O Chief amongst the descendants of Bharata, in the very beginning, control the senses and curb the symbol of sin,

Which is certainly the destroyer of knowledge and consciousness.

3.42 It is said that the senses are superior to the body. The mind is superior to the senses.

The intelligence is still higher than the mind and the consciousness is even higher than intelligence.

3.43 Knowing the Self to be superior to mind and intelligence, by steadying the mind by intelligence,

Conquer the insatiable enemy in the form of lust, O mighty-armed one.

Just like smoke covers fire and you cannot see fire clearly, just like when there is dust on the mirror and you cannot see your reflection clearly in the mirror and just as you cannot see the embryo when it is covered by the womb, we are not able to see our true nature of bliss because we are caught in the base emotions like lust.

In Bhaja Govindam, Sankara says beautifully:

'Do not be excited by looking at the breasts and navel of women. Do not get overcome by lust. Think to yourself again and again that these are of flesh and will perish with time.'

Lust is linked intimately to the survival of species. Without lust, there can be no mutual attraction between genders, no reproduction, and no continuity of human race. This basic survival instinct is lodged in our primal root energy center, the muladhara chakra. All our survival instincts such as lust, anger, and greed arise from this energy center. Eighty percent of our spiritual energy is locked in this energy center. When this chakra is blocked we behave out of instinct, like animals.

In the case of animals, their highest energy center is the muladhara chakra. Almost all animals, except a few pet animals, reach this as their highest level of energy. In humans, this chakra is the starting energy point. When this chakra is energized, unlocked, and the energy is released, we learn to live as we are truly meant to, in intelligence.

Once a person reaches physical or sexual maturity at adolescence, it is very difficult to control the effects of lust arising out of muladhara. One needs to be spiritually awakened before sexual maturity, by about the age of 12, so that the energy can flow upwards towards the Sahasrara or the Crown chakra, rather than downwards as in the case of usual sexual development.

Muladhara chakra is the seat of all fantasies, primary amongst them being sexual fantasies. These fantasies are the ones that Krishna says are like the dust on the mirror, completely clouding our judgment. We live by templates that we carve out in our mind based on these fantasies and live towards fulfilling these fantasies, rather than accepting life as it is.

When the Hindu myths say that Menaka, the celestial nymph or apsara, came down to disturb the penance of the great sage Viswamitra, the metaphoric significance of that is that Viswamitra's muladhara was still blocked, giving rise to sexual fantasies. That is all. If it is true that celestial maidens came down to disturb meditating sages, thousands of people, including all of you, will start meditating so that you too can meet Menaka. You will have no such luck. You will only stew in your own fantasies.

Awareness of the present moment is the key to unlocking muladhara and dissolving lust. Only the present moment awareness brings you in touch with reality as it is and dissolves your fantasies.

In Shiva Sutra, Devi asks Shiva 'Lord, in a marriage how many people coexist?'

Says Shiva, 'Four!'

Devi is shocked. 'There is just husband and wife. Why four?'

Shiva explains, 'There is the wife, and the husband's fantasy of wife. There is the husband, and the wife's fantasy of husband.'

As long as there are four in a marital bed, it will be an orgy, not a love affair. Fantasies need to disappear before awareness comes in. When you bring yourself into the present moment, fantasies of the past disappear. They are history, not valid anymore. Fears and speculations of the future vanish. They have not happened; they are not real. You are exposed to the reality of the present.

Only in the present moment can lust transform into love.

Krishna closes his dialogue with Arjuna in this chapter with these words, 'Be aware that you have a higher intelligence. Use that intelligence to control your senses and curb your lust, which is your most dangerous enemy to awareness.'

Please note that Krishna does not say, 'Arjuna, come here, I shall help you. I shall help dissolve the lust in your body and mind. You can then rest in peace.'

Arjuna started the dialogue in this chapter saying that he was confused. He was confused by Krishna's words in the previous chapter, during the dialogue about action and inaction. He was told that the body is perishable, spirit lives on, and therefore there is no need to fear killing his elders and relatives. Krishna then tells him to

do what he has to do without worrying about the result of his action.

Arjuna is highly confused and he gives up. 'Tell me what to do,' he asks Krishna.

So, Krishna tells him what to do. Krishna tells Arjuna to lead a purposeless life, with no obsession for the end goal. Krishna tells Arjuna to be detached from the purpose of action. 'Action is our nature,' He says, 'not inaction. Act, work, but surrender the result of action to Me,' He advises.

Now, Krishna says clearly, 'Control your senses, be aware, live in the present moment and give up lust.' Lust here not only refers to sexual desire but also to all desires, to all desires of the outer world. It is our sense of identity, the sense of possession that seeks to acquire and enjoy. The truth, however, is that acquisition only leads to desire for more acquisition, not to enjoyment and fulfillment. Desires are insatiable.

To be blissful we need to keep the inner space clean and empty. Only then can bliss fill that space. The outer space can be filled; that is not a contradiction. As long as the outer material space is filled without attachment, the inner space remains empty.

To make this happen, senses have to be in control. They cannot be suppressed. Anything suppressed waits for an opportunity to explode. The mind and senses cannot be suppressed. However, they can be transformed. When we realize that life has no purpose, that the meaning of life is to enjoy the path, the journey, we learn to drop attachments to end results. We drop expectations. We move into the present moment. We become aware.

This is the whole essence of karma yoga! So understand that because of all these reasons you must drop your attachment to the purpose. Drop your attachment to the goal, and live a happy life. Live life blissfully. You will achieve the Supreme.

Krishna says, 'You will achieve the Supreme. You will achieve the Eternal Consciousness, nithya ananda.'

So let us pray to the ultimate Divine, Parabrahma Krishna, to make us all understand His great message, to make us all imbibe Him in our being. Let Him guide us. Let Him make us experience the eternal consciousness, the eternal bliss, nithyananda!

Q: Master, you tell us to 'give our all' in love. But what if the love is not appreciated or returned?

If you are truly in love, you will 'give your all' naturally.

Love is an unconditional outpouring. In love you don't stop to ask yourself whether the other person deserves your love. In fact, there is no question at all of the other person's worth. Love is a gift.

If you were to measure the other person's worth and give an equal and exact measure of love in return, that would simply be a bargain. It would be business, not love.

In true love, this question of 'Should I give my all?' would not arise at all!

Now the issue of love being appreciated: Tell me, what is your reason for loving? Is love a performance for which you need to be applauded? It is enough that you love. What is the need to look for any further reward? To ask for a returning of love is to seek some kind of control over your beloved. You refuse the other person the freedom not to love you in return. This is a kind of possessiveness where you cage the other in the prison of your expectations. And as I keep repeating, love can never ever blossom in captivity.

Listen carefully: there are two kinds of love - love as a quantity, and love as a quality.

When love is seen as a quantity, it results in the kind of selfish little exchanges that most people make all their lives. You hold out a tightly wrapped parcel of love to your man or woman, and expect them to promptly return an equal-sized parcel to you. If your partner should choose to give her parcel to someone else, or even to just open it and spread the love around, you feel cheated and angry.

You are both bound to each other by a pact of reciprocation. You have to be 'Made for Each Other'. Sooner or later this kind of arrangement leaves you cramped and frustrated, and in anger you withdraw your parcel and go off to find someone else to exchange it with. Or else your partner does that. Isn't it so?

Now the kind of love I would like you to grow towards is love experienced as a quality of your very being. This kind of love is simply an outpouring of one's joy and gratitude, just for being alive. It is a fragrance of joy, and it spreads itself around unconditionally. It does not need an object; it does not need a return gift.

This kind of love is like sunshine or rain; it gives of itself unconditionally, and whomsoever stands within its circle can experience the warmth or the freshness without question. This love always enriches; it is the only kind of love that can be enjoyed without fear or guilt.

For love to become your quality, you must be willing to surrender yourself completely. Only in an egoless state can this love arise. This is not easy, but you can make a beginning. You will discover that simply through love and gratitude, you begin to let go of the ego, just a little. And as you let go, more and more love enters into that space.

Try practicing this in your relationships. There is no need to make a fuss about loving; don't become serious in your love - just be totally sincere.

Thus ends the third chapter of the Upanishad of the Bhagavad Gita, the scripture of yoga, dealing with the science of Karma Yoga in the form of the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna.

Scientific Research on Bhagavad Gita

Several institutions have conducted experiments using scientific and statistically supported techniques to verify the truth behind the Bhagavad Gita. Notable amongst them is the work carried out by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whose findings are published through Maharishi Ved Vigyan Vishwa Vidyapeetam.

Studies conducted using meditation techniques related to truths expressed in the verses of the Bhagavad Gita have shown that the quality of life is significantly improved through meditation. These studies have found that meditators experience a greater sense of peace resulting in a reduced tendency towards conflict.

Meditators gain greater respect for and appreciation of others. Their own inner fulfilment increases resulting in improved self-respect and self-reliance, leading to Self Actualization.

One's ability to focus along with brain function integration is enhanced. These have resulted in greater comprehension, creativity, faster response time in decision-making and superior psychomotor coordination.

Stress levels have been shown to decrease with enhanced sensory perception and overall health. The tendency towards depression has been clearly shown to decrease.

There is enough evidence to show that as a result of meditation, individuals gain a better ethical lifestyle that in turn improves their interaction with others in the community, resulting in less conflict and crime.

Meditation leads to higher levels of consciousness. Through the research tools of Applied Kinesiology, Dr. David Hawkins (author of the book Power vs. Force) and others have shown that human consciousness has risen in the last few decades, crossing a critical milestone for the first time in human history. Dr. Hawkins' research also documents that the Bhagavad Gita is at the very highest level of Truth conveyed to humanity.

We acknowledge with gratitude the work done by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi institutions and Dr. David Hawkins in establishing the truth of this great scripture.

Glossary of Key Characters in the Bhagavad Gita

Pandava's Side:

Kaurava's Side: