Sense enjoyment - the binding factor

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 3.34

indriyasyendriyasyārthe

rāga-dveṣau vyavasthitau

tayor na vaśam āgacchet

tau hy asya paripanthinau

SYNONYMS

indriyasya — of the senses; indriyasya arthe — in the sense objects; rāga — attachment; dveṣau — also detachment; vyavasthitau — put under regulations;tayoḥ — of them; na — never; vaśam — control; āgacchet — one should come;tau — those; hi — certainly; asya — his; paripanthinau — stumbling blocks.

TRANSLATION

There are principles to regulate attachment and aversion pertaining to the senses and their objects. One should not come under the control of such attachment and aversion, because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization.

PURPORT

Those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are naturally reluctant to engage in material sense gratification. But those who are not in such consciousness should follow the rules and regulations of the revealed scriptures. Unrestricted sense enjoyment is the cause of material encagement, but one who follows the rules and regulations of the revealed scriptures does not become entangled by the sense objects. For example, sex enjoyment is a necessity for the conditioned soul, and sex enjoyment is allowed under the license of marriage ties. According to scriptural injunctions, one is forbidden to engage in sex relationships with any women other than one's wife. All other women are to be considered as one's mother. But in spite of such injunctions, a man is still inclined to have sex relationships with other women. These propensities are to be curbed; otherwise they will be stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization. As long as the material body is there, the necessities of the material body are allowed, but under rules and regulations. And yet, we should not rely upon the control of such allowances. One has to follow those rules and regulations, unattached to them, because practice of sense gratification under regulations may also lead one to go astray — as much as there is always the chance of an accident, even on the royal roads. Although they may be very carefully maintained, no one can guarantee that there will be no danger even on the safest road. The sense enjoyment spirit has been current a very long, long time, owing to material association. Therefore, in spite of regulated sense enjoyment, there is every chance of falling down; therefore any attachment for regulated sense enjoyment must also be avoided by all means. But attachment to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or acting always in the loving service of Kṛṣṇa, detaches one from all kinds of sensory activities. Therefore, no one should try to be detached from Kṛṣṇa consciousness at any stage of life. The whole purpose of detachment from all kinds of sense attachment is ultimately to become situated on the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Attachment and aversion-stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization.

We who are bereft of devotion are standing here outside Your door. Please favorably receive the news of our presence— Radhe Syama Syama Syama!

1) O Gopinatha, I have no means of success, but if You take me, having bestowed 
your mercy upon me, then I will obtain deliverance from this world.

2) 0 Gopinatha, I have fallen into the perils of material illusion. Wealth, 
wife, and sons have surrounded me, and lust has wasted me away.

3) 0 Gopinatha, my mind is crazy and does not care for any authority. It is 
always senseless and has remained in the dark pit of worldly affairs.

4) 0 Gopinatha, I have accepted my defeat. All of my various endeavors were 
useless. Now You are the only hope.

5) 0 Gopinatha, how shall I make any advancement when my mind has come under 
the control of the powerful senses and does not abandon its attachment to 
materialism?

6) 0 Gopinatha, after sitting down in the core of my heart and subduing my 
mind, please wake me to You. In this way the horrible dangers of this world 
will disappear.

7) 0 Gopinatha, You are Hrsikesa, the Lord of the senses. Seeing me so 
helpless, please control these senses of mine and deliver me from this dark and 
perilous worldly existence.

8) 0 Gopinatha, the noose of materialism has become fixed around my neck. 
Taking up the sword of Your mercy and cutting this bondage, make this 
Bhaktivinoda Your humble servant. 

All of my various endeavors were useless. Now You are the only hope

1) O Gopinatha, please remove the torment of worldly existence. I can no longer 
tolerate the pain of ignorance and the repeated succession of births and 
deaths.

2) 0 Gopinatha, indeed I am a servant of lust. Worldly desires are awakening in 
my heart, and thus the noose of fruitive work is beginning to tighten.

3) 0 Gopinatha, when will I wake up and abandon afar this enemy of lust, end 
when will You manifest Yourself in my heart?

4) 0 Gopinatha, I am Your devotee, but having abandoned You and thus having 
forgotten my real treasure, I have worshiped this mundane world.

5) O Gopinatha, You know everything. Now, having punished Your servant, please 
give him a place at Your lotus feet.

6) 0 Gopinatha, is this Your judgment, that seeing me averse to You, You 
abandon Your servant and don't bestow even a particle of mercy upon him?

7) 0 Gopinatha, I am certainly very foolish, and I have never known what is 
good for me. Therefore such is my condition.

8) 0 Gopinatha, You are indeed the wisest person. Please look for a way to 
bring about auspiciousness for this fool, and please do not consider this 
servant as an outsider. 

Worldly desires are awakening in my heart, and thus the noose of fruitive work is beginning to tighten.