indriyasyendriyasyärthe
räga-dveñau vyavasthitau
tayor na vaçam ägacchet
tau hy asya paripanthinau
SYNONYMS
indriyasya-of the senses; indriyasya arthe-in the sense objects; räga-attachment;
dveñau-also detachment; vyavasthitau-put under regulations; tayoù-of
them; na-never; vaçam-control; ägacchet-one should come; tau-those;
hi-certainly; asya-his; paripanthinau-stumbling blocks.
TRANSLATION
There are principles to regulate attachment and aversion pertaining to the senses and
their objects. One should not come under the control of such attachment and aversion,
because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization.
PURPORT
Those who are in Kåñëa consciousness are naturally reluctant to engage in material
sense gratification. But those who are not in such consciousness should follow the rules
and regulations of the revealed scriptures. Unrestricted sense enjoyment is the cause of
material encagement, but one who follows the rules and regulations of the revealed
scriptures does not become entangled by the sense objects. For example, sex enjoyment is a
necessity for the conditioned soul, and sex enjoyment is allowed under the license of
marriage ties. According to scriptural injunctions, one is forbidden to engage in sex
relationships with any women other than one's wife. All other women are to be considered
as one's mother. But in spite of such injunctions, a man is still inclined to have sex
relationships with other women. These propensities are to be curbed; otherwise they will
be stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization. As long as the material body is
there, the necessities of the material body are allowed, but under rules and regulations.
And yet, we should not rely upon the control of such allowances. One has to follow those
rules and regulations, unattached to them, because practice of sense gratification under
regulations may also lead one to go astray-as much as there is always the chance of an
accident, even on the royal roads. Although they may be very carefully maintained, no one
can guarantee that there will be no danger even on the safest road. The sense enjoyment
spirit has been current a very long, long time, owing to material association. Therefore,
in spite of regulated sense enjoyment, there is every chance of falling down; therefore
any attachment for regulated sense enjoyment must also be avoided by all means. But
attachment to Kåñëa consciousness, or acting always in the loving service of Kåñëa,
detaches one from all kinds of sensory activities. Therefore, no one should try to be
detached from Kåñëa consciousness at any stage of life. The whole purpose of detachment
from all kinds of sense attachment is ultimately to become situated on the platform of
Kåñëa consciousness.