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 ||
O son of Kuntī, even of the striving wise person, the turbulent senses forcibly carry away the mind.
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.