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GĪTĀ, TRANSLATION & COMMENTARY, CHAP. II 905
इंन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते । तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि ॥ ६७ ॥
तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः । इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥ ६८ ॥ या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी । यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः ॥ ६९ ॥ acquire happiness? (67) The Mind which follows in the wake of the senses, which roam about (that is, move), (among the objects of sense), enslaves the Reason of a man, just as the wind (enslaves) a boat in the water. (68) Therefore, O Arjuna! his Reason is (said to have become) steady, whose senses (are) controlled on all sides from the objects of sense.
[In short, control of the senses by means of the control of the Mind is at the root of all means of reaching Perfection. When the senses have become disintegrated on account of the objects of sense and run in all directions, it is not possible for a man even to get the desire of obtaining Selfknowledge. As the desire is wanting, there is no resolute endeavour in that direction, and then there is neither tranquility nor happiness. Though this is what is meant, control of the senses does not mean totally destroying the senses and giving up all Action altogether; and, as is stated in the 64th stanza, the message of the Gita is that one should perform all Action desirelessly, as has been shown in Chapter IV of the Gita-Rahasya.]
(69) The Sthitaprajña is awake in that which is night for everyone else; and such a Jñanın looks upon that as night in which every other living being is awake.
[This paradoxical description is metaphorical. Ingnorance means 'darkness' and Knowledge means 'light' (Gi. 14. 11). That which the Ignorant dislike, that is, what to them is darkness, is desired by the Jñanin; and that in which the Ignorant are engrossed-that is, what for them is lightis darkness' for the Jñanin, that is to say, he does not want it. This is what is meant. For instance,
