Chapter 2, Verse 68 (Bhagavad Gita 2.68)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः। इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता
Transliteration
tasmād yasya mahā-bāho nigṛihītāni sarvaśhaḥ indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas tasya prajñā pratiṣhṭhitā
Word Meanings
tasmāt—therefore; yasya—whose; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; nigṛihītāni—restrained; sarvaśhaḥ—completely; indriyāṇi—senses; indriya-arthebhyaḥ—from sense objects; tasya—of that person; prajñā—transcendental knowledge; pratiṣhṭhitā—remains fixed
Translation
Therefore, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he whose senses are completely restrained from their objects, his intelligence is firmly set.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse teaches that true stability is not found in the external world but in the mastery of one’s own perceptions. When the mind ceases to be a slave to sensory impulses, it transitions from reactive chaos to proactive clarity. This inner discipline prevents the energy of consciousness from being dissipated by fleeting desires, allowing the soul to remain anchored in its true nature. By withdrawing the senses from the pull of objects, one attains a state of equilibrium that remains unshaken even amidst life’s greatest storms.