Verse 3.34

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 3.34:

इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे राग-द्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ ।
तयोर् न वशम् आगच्छेत् तौ ह्य् अस्य परिपन्थिनौ ॥ ३४ ॥

indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāga-dveṣau vyavasthitau |
tayor na vaśam āgacchet tau hy asya paripanthinau || 34 ||

indriyasya–of each sense; indriyasya arthe–within each sense object; rāga–attachment; dveṣau–aversion; vyavasthitau–are situated; tayoḥ–by them; na–not; vaśam–controlled; āgacchet–should become; tau–they (attachment and aversion); hi–certainly; asya–for him (the spiritual practitioner); paripanthinau–obstacles.

All the senses are helplessly controlled by one’s attachment and aversion to their respective objects. Therefore, one should never come under their sway because such attachment and aversion are impediments for the sādhaka’s progress upon the path of auspiciousness.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

It is not possible for scripture to force injunctions upon a person whose nature is extremely wicked. As long as a wicked nature has not arisen by perfoming sinful action, a person should not allow his senses to wander willfully and bind him to sense objects. Śrī Bhagavān is speaking this verse beginning with indriyasya indriyasya to explain this. The repetition of the word indriya here indicates the sense objects of each respective sense. Although to look at another’s wife, touch her, or allure her by giving her gifts is forbidden in scripture, an immoral man is still attracted to doing so. On the other hand, although it is prescribed in scripture to see, touch, serve and offer charity to the guru, brāhmaṇas, holy places and guests, an impious man is averse to such behaviour. To come under the influence of either of these mentalities is not proper. In other words, it is not proper either to develop attachment to a woman by seeing her, or to be malicious to someone who obstructs that attachment. Similarly, an aspirant on the path of self-realization should neither be attached to rich and palatable foodstuffs that are to his taste nor averse to dry, unpalatable food items and objects that are not to his taste. In the same way, he should not be attached to seeing and hearing about his own son, nor should he be adverse to seeing and hearing about his enemy’s son. It is inappropriate to come under the influence of such attachment and aversion. This has been explained.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

The senses are of two types: knowledge-acquiring senses (jñānendriya) and working senses (karmendriya). There are five knowledge-acquiring senses: the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin, which accept form, sound, smell, taste and touch as their respective objects of gratification. There are also five working senses: speech, hands, legs, anus and genitals, which perform the actions of speaking, accepting, moving, evacuating and procreating. The practitioner of bhakti engages these eleven senses, including the mind, in various types of service for the pleasure of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He does not enjoy the various sense objects separately, for himself. In this way, he can easily overpower the uncontrolled senses, and by engaging his controlled senses in the service of the Lord, he can attain the supreme goal of life.

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura quotes Kṛṣṇa as saying, “O Arjuna, if you think that the jīvas’ acceptance of sense objects will make most of them more addicted to those sense objects, and as a result, liberation from the bondage of their religious duty (karma) will become impossible, then listen to My words.

“It is not true that all objects are detrimental to the spiritual progress of the jīvas. It is only the jīva’s attachment and aversion to the sense objects that are his greatest enemies. As long as you have this material body, you have to accept sense objects. For this reason, you should accept sense objects, and at the same time control your attachment and aversion to them. If you act in this way, you can deal with sense objects without becoming bound to them. You will become detached from them by gradually eliminating the attachment and aversion that develops when one falsely identifies the body with the self. In brief, you will develop appropriate renunciation, or yukta-vairāgya. I have not instructed you to subdue attachment to objects and activities related to Me, Śrī Bhagavān, or to those that stimulate one’s bhakti. Nor have I instructed you to not be averse to objects or activities that are obstacles to bhakti. Rather, I have only instructed you to control the attachment and aversion that is related to selfish pleasure and that promotes a temperament that is opposed to bhakti. This should be understood.”