Quotes from Sri Ramanuja Gita Bhashya on Controlling the Sense Objects

Sri Ramanujacharya’s commentary on the shlokas 59 to 61 in the Chapter II of the Bhagavad Gita

The sense objects are the food of the sense. The sense objects turn away from one who has withdrawn his senses from objects. But still one may hold the relish for them.

Relish means hankering. This means that the hankering of the sense objects does not go away by abstinence alone.

But even this hankering will go away when one sees that the essential nature of the self is superior to the sense objects and that the realization of this self gives greater happiness than the enjoyment of sense objects.

When there is an attempt to subdue the sense objects and realize the self there will always be a conflict in the mind.

With a desire to overcome this mutual dependence between the subduing of the senses and vision of the Self, one has to conquer the senses which are difficult to subdue on account of their attachment to sense-objects.

So, focusing the mind on Me (Krishna) who am the only auspicious object for mediation let him remain steadfast. When the mind is focused on Me as its object, then such a mind, purified by the burning away of all impurities and devoid of attachment to the senses, is able to control the senses. Then the mind with the senses under control will be able to experience the self.