February19 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 2; Verses 2.58 (Day 50) Sankhya Yoga

 February 19 – Day 50

Verse 2.58

यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः ।

इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥ २-५८॥ 

yadā sanharate chāyaṁ kūrmo ’ṅgānīva sarvaśhaḥ
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas tasya prajñā pratiṣhṭhitā (2.58) 

யதா³ ஸன்ஹரதே¹ சா¹யம் கூ¹ர்மோ‌ங்கா³னீவ ஸர்வஶ: |
இந்த்³ரியாணீன்த்³ரியார்தே²ப்⁴யஸ்த¹ஸ்ய ப்¹ரஞ்ஞா ப்¹ரதி¹ஷ்டி²தா¹ ||58|| 

58. When, like the tortoise which withdraws its limbs on all sides, he withdraws his senses from the sense-objects, then his wisdom becomes steady. 

Commentary: Withdrawal of the senses is Pratyahara or abstraction.  The mind has a natural tendency to run towards external objects. The Yogi again and again withdraws the mind from the objects of the senses and fixes it on the Self.  A Yogi who is endowed with the power of Pratyahara can enter into Samadhi even in a crowded place by withdrawing his senses within the twinkling of an eye.  He is not disturbed by tumultuous sounds and noises of any description.  Even on the battlefield he can rest in his center, the Self, by withdrawing his senses.  He who practices Pratyahara is dead to the world.  He will not be affected by the outside vibrations.  At any time by mere willing he can bring his senses under his perfect control.  They are his obedient servants or instruments. 

Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda (verse 58):

This is a vital yoga practice which should he applied to our daily life. The tortoise is a slow-moving animal which is therefore most vulnerable to enemy attack. Yet God’s wisdom has provided it with natural protective armour.

Our spiritual progress or evolution is also very slow. All our life, all the way to spiritual perfection, we are extremely vulnerable to adverse influences. Unless we provide ourselves with a spiritual armour, we shall not reach the goal!

Our Master used to stress our spiritual need to have a background of thought which is our spiritual shell into which we can withdraw our limbs (the senses and the mind) whenever they are threatened by temptation or ‘sneha’. (This word ‘sneha’ which usually means friendship or attachment, also means glue!) Before we get stuck in the world, we should withdraw our free ‘limbs’ into this ‘shell,’ into this background of thought.

The best way to build this shell is thus: have a mantra (a name of God) and a mental image of God. Repeat this mantra constantly and also visualise the image of God as much as you can. This must be done specially and intensely in the morning and at bed-time. The meditation-current must be generated then; the armour must be ‘built inside’ then. Even without any provocation, we should withdraw the mind into that shell whenever the mind is not actually occupied in essential activity so that the mind is never idle and is therefore not vulnerable. Especially when we are subject to temptation, we should immediately and intensely repeat the mantra and contemplate on God so that the mind is protected by the spiritual armour – the background of thought. 

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