Self-Control

And when, like a tortoise drawing in its limbs, one withdraws the senses entirely from their objects, that person's wisdom is firmly set.

यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः | इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ||२-५८||

One whose mind is untroubled in sorrows, who is free from longing amid pleasures, and from whom passion, fear, and anger have departed, is called a sage of steady wisdom.

दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः | वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ||२-५६||

For the mind is restless, Krishna, turbulent, powerful, and unyielding; I think restraining it is as hard as restraining the wind.

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम् | तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ||६-३४||

Therefore, best of the Bharatas, first control the senses and slay this sinful destroyer of knowledge and discernment.

तस्मात्त्वमिन्द्रियाण्यादौ नियम्य भरतर्षभ | पाप्मानं प्रजहि ह्येनं ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम् ||३-४१||

Attraction and aversion are seated in each sense with regard to its object. One should not come under the sway of these two, for they are one's enemies.

इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ | तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ ||३-३४||

But one who controls the senses with the mind, Arjuna, and, unattached, engages the organs of action in the yoga of action, excels.

यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन | कर्मेन्द्रियैः कर्मयोगमसक्तः स विशिष्यते ||३-७||

One who restrains the organs of action but sits dwelling in his mind on the objects of sense is called a deluded hypocrite.

कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् | इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते ||३-६||

Therefore, mighty-armed one, the wisdom of one whose senses are fully restrained from their objects is firmly set.

तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः | इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ||२-६८||

When the mind follows the wandering senses, it carries away one's wisdom, as the wind carries away a boat on the water.

इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते | तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि ||२-६७||

Restraining all these senses, one should sit disciplined, intent on Me; for one whose senses are under control has wisdom firmly set.

तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्परः | वशे हि यस्येन्द्रियाणि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ||२-६१||

Humility, absence of pretense, non-violence, patience, uprightness, service to a teacher, purity, steadfastness, self-control;

अमानित्वमदम्भित्वमहिंसा क्षान्तिरार्जवम् | आचार्योपासनं शौचं स्थैर्यमात्मविनिग्रहः ||१३-८||

restraining the whole array of the senses, even-minded everywhere, delighting in the welfare of all beings, they too attain me.

सन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः | ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः ||१२-४||

Who is the lord of sacrifice, and how, within this body, Krishna? And at the moment of departure, how are you to be known by those who are self-controlled?

अधियज्ञः कथं कोऽत्र देहेऽस्मिन्मधुसूदन | प्रयाणकाले च कथं ज्ञेयोऽसि नियतात्मभिः ||८-२||

Yoga is hard to attain for one whose self is uncontrolled — this is my view; but for one who strives, with the self mastered, it can be attained by the right means.

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः | वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः ||६-३६||

the sage bent on liberation, with senses, mind, and intellect controlled, freed from desire, fear, and anger — such a one is forever liberated.

यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायणः | विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो यः सदा मुक्त एव सः ||५-२८||

But one who moves among the objects of sense with senses controlled, free from attraction and aversion and mastered by the Self, attains serenity.

रागद्वेषविमुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् | (or वियुक्तैस्तु) आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ||२-६४||

For the turbulent senses, Kaunteya, forcibly carry away the mind even of a discerning person who strives.

यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चितः | इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मनः ||२-६०||

The objects of sense turn away from the embodied one who abstains from them, but the taste for them remains; even that taste turns away when the Supreme is seen.

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः | रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते ||२-५९||

Closing off all the gates of the body, confining the mind within the heart, and drawing one's life-breath up into the head, established in the concentration of yoga —

सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च | मूध्न्यार्धायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम् ||८-१२||