niyamya bharatarsabha
papmanam prajahi hy enam
jnana-vijnana-nasanam
SYNONYMS
tasmat--therefore; tvam--you; indriyani--senses; adau--in the beginning; niyamya--by regulating; bharata-rsabha--O chief amongst the descendants of Bharata; papmanam--the great symbol of sin; prajahi--curb; hi--certainly; enam--this; jnana--knowledge; vijnana--scientific knowledge of the pure soul; nasanam--the destroyer.
TRANSLATION
Therefore,
O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, in the very beginning curb this great
symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer
of knowledge and self-realization.
PURPORT
The
Lord advised Arjuna to regulate the senses from the very beginning so
that he could curb the greatest sinful enemy, lust, which destroys the
urge for self-realization, and specifically, knowledge of the self. Jnanam
refers to knowledge of self as distinguished from non-self, or, in
other words, knowledge that the spirit soul is not the body. Vijnanam
refers to specific knowledge of the spirit soul and knowledge of one's
constitutional position and his relationship to the Supreme Soul. It is
explained thus in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: jnanam parama-guhyam me yad vijnana-samanvitam/sa-rahasyam tad-angam ca grhana gaditam maya: "The knowledge of the self and the Supreme Self is very confidential and mysterious, being veiled by maya, but such knowledge and specific realization can be understood if it is explained by the Lord Himself." Bhagavad-gita
gives us that knowledge, specifically knowledge of the self. The living
entities are parts and parcels of the Lord, and therefore they are
simply meant to serve the Lord. This consciousness is called Krsna
consciousness. So, from the very beginning of life one has to learn this
Krsna consciousness, and thereby one may become fully Krsna conscious
and act accordingly.
Lust
is only the perverted reflection of the love of God which is natural
for every living entity. But if one is educated in Krsna consciousness
from the very beginning, that natural love of God cannot deteriorate
into lust. When love of God deteriorates into lust, it is very difficult
to return to the normal condition. Nonetheless, Krsna consciousness is
so powerful that even a late beginner can become a lover of God by
following the regulative principles of devotional service. So, from any
stage of life, or from the time of understanding its urgency, one can
begin regulating the senses in Krsna consciousness, devotional service
of the Lord, and turn the lust into love of Godhead--the highest
perfectional stage of human life.
