Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 23
Purūravā’s Song of Renunciation and the Glory of Sādhu-saṅga
अदृष्टादश्रुताद् भावान्न भाव उपजायते । असम्प्रयुञ्जत: प्राणान् शाम्यति स्तिमितं मन: ॥ २३ ॥
adṛṣṭād aśrutād bhāvān na bhāva upajāyate asamprayuñjataḥ prāṇān śāmyati stimitaṁ manaḥ
Was weder gesehen noch gehört wurde, beunruhigt den Geist nicht. Wer die materiellen Sinne zügelt, dessen weltliche Regungen werden von selbst gehemmt, und der Geist wird still und friedvoll.
It may be argued that even while closing one’s eyes, while dreaming or while living in a solitary place, one may remember or contemplate sense gratification. Such an experience, however, is due to previous sense gratification that one repeatedly saw and heard about. When one restricts the senses from their objects, especially from intimate contact with women, the mind’s material propensity will slacken and, like a fire without fuel, eventually die.
FAQs
This verse teaches that mental agitation depends on contact with perceived/heard objects, and that by not driving the life-airs outward in restless engagement, the mind becomes still and peaceful.
In the Uddhava Gita, Krishna is giving Uddhava practical methods of renunciation and inner discipline; here He explains how withdrawing from sensory inputs and regulating prana leads to mental tranquility.
Reduce unnecessary media and sensory overload, practice breath regulation and quiet sitting daily, and notice how fewer inputs and steadier breathing naturally calm the mind.