Chapter 2, Verse 59
विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिन: |
रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते ॥59॥
viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ |
rasavarjaṁ raso 'pyasya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate ||
"The objects of the senses turn away from the embodied soul who abstains from sensory enjoyment, though the taste for them remains. But even this taste vanishes upon realizing the Supreme."
Key Insight:
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 2.59 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 2.59 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
Detailed Meaning
This verse addresses the fundamental challenge of self-control. Simple physical abstinence (like fasting or forced restraint) stops the external contact with sense objects, but the internal 'rasa' (the longing or mental relish) persists. This is why many people relapse into old habits once their period of restraint ends. The Gita teaches that the only way to truly eradicate the 'seed of desire' is to experience a 'higher taste' (Param). When the soul experiences the bliss of the Divine or a higher spiritual realization, the lower, mundane pleasures lose their charm naturally, leading to effortless and permanent detachment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core message of Gita 2.59?
The objects of the senses turn away from the embodied soul who abstains from sensory enjoyment, though the taste for them remains. But even this taste vanishes upon realizing the Supreme.