“Even a wise man acts in accordance with his nature. All beings follow their nature. What can repression do ?”
Verse-33, Ch. 3, Srimad Bhagavad Gita
It is natural for the senses to feel attraction or aversion in the objects of the senses pertaining to them. Do not come under their sway, for they are enemies ( of all spiritual aspirants).
Verse-34, Ch. 3, Srimad Bhagavad Gita
There has been a great deal of controversial interpretation of the Verse-33 of Ch. 3 of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Some commentators say that this verse contains elements of fatalism. A devotee, referrikng to the same Verse asked from Sri Bhagwan, “Are we then to do nothing and simply allow the senses to go their own way?”
That all creatures are subject to their prakriti, nature, is true and cannot be disputed. But the Lord Sri Krishna says in the V. 33, “What can ‘nigraha’(control or repression) do?” Desires and tendencies cannot be forcefully eliminated. Attempt to supress the inherent tendencies forcefully may prove even counterproductive.
The next Verse ,i.e., the Verse-34 is the key to understand the Verse-33. The lord says in the Verse-34 that there is a natural attraction or aversion between the senses and their objects, but they are enemies and therefore should be avoided by right discrimination and awareness. The Great Lord deals with sensual infatuation in 2. 66-68 of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. He says that man gets infatuated when he dwells on the sense objects longingly and develops attachment or aversion. Attachment gives rise to desire, and desire generates animosities and infatuation. This infatuation is the enemy which makes one forget his moral and spiritual foundation. Therefore, in the Verse-34, man is exhorted by the Great Lord to avoid exposure to the sense objects, and is exposed unavoidably, one should exercise discrimination to protect oneself, always remembering that they are enemies.
Sri Bhagwan: If the two Verses ( V.33&34, Ch.3, Srimad Bhagavad Gita) were taken together, it could not be contended that Gita teaches ‘Don’t restrain or attempt to restrain the senses, because what does restraint avail ?’
Yes, for spiritual aspirants who have embarked on as great a journey as the Enquiry or Surrender, indulgence in the sense objects are bound to prove detrimental and even has the potential to destroy the sadhana itself.
So, Sri Bhagwan’s Final Explanation of the Verses 27, 33, and 34 of the Ch.3 of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita :
“ It only means actions will go on, according to the gunas or prakriti of the man. They cannot be prevented. But, that is the very reason why man should acquire jnana and thus become unaffected by the consequences of such action. The Verse says, “Acquire jnana and be unattached to the actions and their consequences.”
Therefore, “What repression will do ?” does not mean one should indulge unabashedly. One cannot go against one’s nature. Even a wise man acts according to his nature only. So, it only means, as Sri Bhagwan said, that actions will go on according to the nature. They cannot be prevented. But those who are performing spiritual sadhana to know the Self or God, should not come under the sway of the sense objects because of natural attraction. Discrimination and awareness here are the keys.
MY EXPERIENCE : ATMA-VICHARA IS ITS OWN GUIDE.
Thank you,
Anil