Chapter 2, Verse 60
यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चित: | इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मन: ॥ 60 ॥
yatato hyapi kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ | indriyāṇi pramāthīni haranti prasabhaṁ manaḥ ||
"For, O son of Kunti, the turbulent organs violently snatch away the mind of an intelligent person, even while he is striving diligently."
Key Insight:
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 2.60 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 2.60 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
Detailed Meaning
This verse highlights the volatile nature of the senses (indriyas). Even for a 'vipaścitaḥ'—a person of discrimination and intelligence who is actively striving ('yatataḥ') for self-control—the senses are so 'pramāthīni' (turbulent/agitating) that they can forcibly hijack the mind. The sage Saubhari's story serves as a quintessential warning: despite his immense yogic powers and years of underwater meditation, a simple visual stimulus (mating fish) ignited latent desires that led to thousands of years of worldly entanglement. The lesson is that the senses cannot be tamed by mere intellectual will; they require constant vigilance and a higher spiritual engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core message of Gita 2.60?
For, O son of Kunti, the turbulent organs violently snatch away the mind of an intelligent person, even while he is striving diligently.