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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 3.6
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् ।
इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते ॥ ६ ॥
karmendriyāṇi saṁyamya
ya āste manasā smaran
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā
mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate
One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
One who controls outward actions but keeps thinking of sense enjoyment deceives himself and is a pretender.
Prabhupāda explains that a show of meditation has no value when one avoids work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and seeks sense enjoyment.
Follow the rules and duties of your position to gradually purify your life, rather than pretend to be a yogī.
Condemns “An unfortunate renunciant” who renounces without purification
Defines ‘pretender’ or ‘mithyacarah’ – He restrains the senses of action but minds dwells on sense objects
This purport focuses on some possible characteristics of such pretenders
Show-bottle spiritualist — They make of show of yogic meditation which is “of no value”
No value of the show of meditation
It is of no value because “mind is impure”, dwelling upon sense enjoyment
His knowledge has no value because the effects of such a sinful man’s knowledge are taken away by illusory energy of the Lord
Greatest cheaters — May speak dry philosophy to bluff sophisticated followers, but they are the greatest cheaters
One who makes a show of being a yogi while actually searching for the objects of sense gratification must be called the greatest cheater
What they should understand — They should understand the following:
For sense enjoyment one can act in any capacity of the social order,
But if one follows the rules and regulations of his particular status he can make gradual progress in purifying his existence
Texts 3.6 & 3.7
Next Krishna compares an attached sannyasi and a detached householder
Work combined with knowledge and detachment
Offer the fruit of the work for the satisfaction of Krishna
Niskama-karma-yoga allows the soul (active by nature) to be purified through detached activities
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 3.6 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?
Do one task today purely because it is right.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.