yatato hy api kaunteya
puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ
indriyāṇi pramāthīni
haranti prasabhaḿ manaḥ
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 2.60
The senses are so strong and impetuous, O Arjuna, that they forcibly carry away the mind even of a man of discrimination who is endeavoring to control them.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
There are many learned sages, philosophers and transcendentalists who try to conquer the senses, but in spite of their endeavors, even the greatest of them sometimes fall victim to material sense enjoyment due to the agitated mind. Even Vishvamitra, a great sage and perfect yogi, was misled by Menaka into sex enjoyment, although the yogi was endeavoring for sense control with severe types of penance and yoga practice. And, of course, there are so many similar instances in the history of the world. Therefore, it is very difficult to control the mind and senses without being fully Krishna conscious. Without engaging the mind in Krishna, one cannot cease such material engagements. A practical example is given by Sri Yamunacarya, a great saint and devotee, who says:
yad-avadhi mama cetah krishna-padaravinde
nava-nava-rasa-dhamany udyatam rantum asit
tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane
bhavati mukha-vikarah susthu nisthivanam ca
“Since my mind has been engaged in the service of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna, and I have been enjoying an ever new transcendental humor, whenever I think of sex life with a woman, my face at once turns from it, and I spit at the thought.”
Krishna consciousness is such a transcendentally nice thing that automatically material enjoyment becomes distasteful. It is as if a hungry man had satisfied his hunger by a sufficient quantity of nutritious eatables. Maharaja Ambarisha also conquered a great yogi, Durvasa Muni, simply because his mind was engaged in Krishna consciousness (sa vai manah krishna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane).
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
The effort at the stage of sadhana is very great, without power to turn back the senses completely. Pramathini means “causing agitation.”
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
2.60 Hi, for; kaunteya, O son of Kunti; pramathini, the turbulent; indriyani, organs; prasabham, violently; haranti, snatch away; manah, the mind; vipascitah, of an intelligent; purusasya, person; api, even; yatatah, while he is striving diligently [Repeatedly being mindful of the evils that arise from sense-objects.] — (or,) the words purusasya vipascitah (of an intelligent person) are to be connected with the remote word api (even). [The Commentator says that api may be construed either with yatatah or with vipascitah purusasya.-Tr.] Indeed, the organs confound a person who is inclined towards objects, and after confounding him, violently carry away his mind endowed with discriminating knoweldge, even when he is aware of this. Since this is so, therefore,
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
Since it is not possible without controlling the senses to be one in steady wisdom; it is strongly recommended that in the practice of ones spiritual austerities one apply themselves diligently in this regard. The senses are so turbulent that they can forcibly take the mind of even a person of discrimination, for the senses are very agitating.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Even men of wisdom who lack spiritual experience and resort to using the mind as their only medium of understanding are soon overpowered by the senses. What then is the impediment to those who take pride in the bodily conception? Lord Krishna use of the word pramathini meaning turbulent indicates one who is assailed by agitation.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Thus the control over the senses is root cause of stabilising the mind. Now Lord Krishna reveals the flaws in not possessing a stable mind. One situated in spiritual intelligence with discrimination and powers of observation trying their level best to keep the mind from gravitating towards the senses and withdrawing their mind repeatedly away from objects of the senses and directing it internally within is a form of meditation. But the senses are so strong that they forcibly invade the mind, disrupt this meditation and forcibly overpower the mind and indulge it in contemplating sense gratification and bodily attachment. How is it possible that the senses can carry away ones mind while they are intently striving? It is because the senses are so restless and turbulent that they totally disregarding all ones efforts in discrimination, besieging the mind they direct it towards sensual objects that will gratify these self-same senses by engaging the mind in sense contemplation.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
2.60 Hi, for; kaunteya, O son of Kunti; pramathini, the turbulent; indriyani, organs; prasabham, violently; haranti, snatch away; manah, the mind; vipascitah, of an intelligent; purusasya, person; api, even; yatatah, while he is striving diligently [Repeatedly being mindful of the evils that arise from sense-objects.] — (or,) the words purusasya vipascitah (of an intelligent person) are to be connected with the remote word api (even). [The Commentator says that api may be construed either with yatatah or with vipascitah purusasya.-Tr.] Indeed, the organs confound a person who is inclined towards objects, and after confounding him, violently carry away his mind endowed with discriminating knoweldge, even when he is aware of this. Since this is so, therefore,
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
2.60 Yattasyapi etc. For, the mind of that ascetic too is carried away by the sense-organs. Or, the expression yattasya api denotes ‘even of one who exerts’. [So], it is but the mind that is to be subdued by a man of Yoga. Thus the second [question] is decided.
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
yatato hy api kaunteya
purusasya vipascitah
indriyani pramathini
haranti prasabham manah
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
yatataḥ — while endeavoring; hi — certainly; api — in spite of; kaunteya — O son of Kuntī; puruṣasya — of a man; vipaścitaḥ — full of discriminating knowledge; indriyāṇi — the senses; pramāthīni — agitating; haranti — throw; prasabham — by force; manaḥ — the mind.
