Bhagavad Gita
Chapter 2 · Verse 59

Transcendental Knowledge

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः। रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते
viṣhayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ rasa-varjaṁ raso ’pyasya paraṁ dṛiṣhṭvā nivartate

Word Meanings

viṣhayāḥ vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ rasa-varjam rasaḥ api asya param dṛiṣhṭvā nivartate

Translation

The sense objects withdraw from one who abstains from them, yet the longing for them persists; but even that longing ceases completely upon realizing the Supreme.

Commentary

विषयाः the objects of senses? विनिवर्तन्ते turn away? निराहारस्य abstinent? देहिनः of the man? रसवर्जम् leaving the longing? रसः loving (taste)? अपि even? अस्य of his? परम् the Supreme? दृष्ट्वा having seen? निवर्तते turns away.Commentary Knowledge of the Self alone can destroy in toto the subtle Vasanas (latent tendencies) and all the subtle desires? all subtle attachments and even the longing for objects. By practising severe austerities? by abandoning the sensual objects? the objects of the senses may turn away from the ascetic but the relish or taste or longing for the objects will still remain.