Gita 18.51
Moksha Sanyasa Yoga
बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो धृत्यात्मानं नियम्य च । शब्दादीन्विषयांस्त्यक्त्वा रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च ॥
buddhyā viśuddhayā yukto dhṛtyātmānaṁ niyamya ca śabdādīn viṣayāṁs tyaktvā rāga-dveṣau vyudasya ca
In essence: Endowed with purified intellect, controlling the self with firmness, abandoning sense objects like sound, and casting aside attraction and aversion...
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "How does one purify the intellect?"
Guru: "Through discrimination (viveka), study of scripture, association with the wise, and meditation. The impurities of buddhi are false beliefs, wrong values, and identification with what you are not. When you consistently expose the mind to truth and withdraw energy from falsehood, buddhi gradually clarifies. It's like purifying water—remove the contaminants, and clarity is natural."
Sadhak: "Does 'abandoning sense objects' mean I cannot see, hear, or taste anything?"
Guru: "No—it means not being BOUND by them. Tyaktvā (abandoning) refers to psychological dependence, not physical avoidance. You can see beauty without craving it, hear music without being enslaved to it. The senses continue to function; the bondage is what's abandoned. This is tyāga in its true sense: inner renunciation while outer engagement may continue."
Sadhak: "Why are rāga and dveṣa singled out?"
Guru: "Because they are the roots of all bondage. Every desire is rooted in attraction (rāga) to something pleasant. Every fear and anger is rooted in aversion (dveṣa) to something unpleasant. Cut these two roots, and the entire tree of saṃsāra falls. The objects themselves don't bind; our attraction and aversion to them creates the chains."
Sadhak: "This sounds like a very austere path..."
Guru: "It is intense but not grim. The seeker who purifies the buddhi and releases attraction-aversion finds increasing peace, not deprivation. What falls away is the source of suffering, not the source of joy. True joy is the nature of the Self; what's released is the agitation that obscures it. The path seems austere only from the perspective of bondage."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Set intention for purification: 'Today I practice viśuddha buddhi—clear seeing without distortion. I will notice where attraction and aversion cloud my perception and gently release them.' This begins the day with discriminative awareness.
When rāga arises (desire, craving, attraction), note it: 'This is rāga.' When dveṣa arises (aversion, resistance, dislike), note it: 'This is dveṣa.' Naming them creates distance. You don't have to act on them; just see them. This is vyudasya—gradually casting them aside through awareness.
Assess: 'Was my buddhi clear today or distorted by desires? Did I control my reactions with dhṛti (firmness) or was I tossed by impulses? What rāga and dveṣa need further releasing?' This honest review guides tomorrow's practice.