Shloka 60
Sankhya Yoga — Sankhya Yoga
यततो ह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चितः । इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मनः ॥ २.६० ॥
yatato hy api kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ | indriyāṇi pramāthīni haranti prasabhaṃ manaḥ || 2.60 ||
കൗന്തേയാ! പരിശ്രമിക്കുന്ന വിവേകിയായ പുരുഷന്റെയും മനസ്സിനെ, അത്യന്തം ചഞ്ചലവും കലഹപ്രേരകവുമായ ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങൾ ബലമായി കവർന്നുകൊള്ളുന്നു.
हे कौन्तेय! प्रयत्न करते हुए बुद्धिमान पुरुष का भी चंचल इन्द्रियाँ बलपूर्वक मन को हर लेती हैं।
Even for a discerning person who strives, O Kaunteya, the turbulent senses forcibly carry away the mind.
The verse is often cited to underscore the practical difficulty of sense-control. ‘Pramāthinī’ suggests agitating/disruptive; translations vary between ‘turbulent,’ ‘impetuous,’ and ‘violent’ in a metaphorical-psychological sense (inner compulsion rather than physical violence).
FAQs
It acknowledges that insight alone may not prevent impulsive attention shifts; entrenched habits and stimuli can still dominate without training.
The verse implies a layered personhood: discernment (buddhi/viveka) must be integrated with disciplined regulation of sensory-mind processes.
It motivates the subsequent instruction to restrain the senses systematically rather than assuming effortless control.
Supports structured practices—environment design, routine, and contemplative training—rather than relying on willpower alone.