Gita 2.44
Sankhya Yoga
भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम् । व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ॥
bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate
In essence: A mind captivated by promises of pleasure and power cannot settle into the stillness of samadhi—the very grasping that seeks happiness prevents the peace that would fulfill it.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Guru, I try to meditate but my mind keeps wandering to pleasant memories and fantasies. Is this what Krishna means by "mind carried away"?"
Guru: "Precisely. The mind has been trained for years—perhaps lifetimes—to chase enjoyment. When you sit to meditate, you are asking this trained hunter to sit still. It does not know how; its whole nature rebels. The wandering is not a failure of meditation; it is the revelation of your current condition. The teaching begins with seeing clearly what is."
Sadhak: "But don't we need some pleasure in life? Is Krishna saying we should have no enjoyment at all?"
Guru: "No—he is speaking of attachment (prasakti), not enjoyment itself. The wise person can enjoy what comes without being attached to its continuation or repetition. Pleasure arises and is received; pleasure passes and is released. This is natural. What binds is the grasping—the mind that clutches pleasure and demands more, the mind that cannot be happy without its objects. Such a mind is a slave, regardless of how many pleasures it accumulates."
Sadhak: "What is "vyavasāyātmikā buddhi"—this resolute intellect? How is it different from ordinary intelligence?"
Guru: "Ordinary intelligence is scattered—capable of thinking many thoughts, solving various problems, but pulled in different directions by different interests. Resolute intellect has gathered all its powers into a single direction, like sunlight focused through a lens. This focus is not achieved by force but by clarity of purpose. When you truly see what matters, the mind naturally gathers itself. The problem is that attachment clouds this seeing; you cannot find your true purpose when pleasure and power seem so important."
Sadhak: "Krishna says this resolute intellect is "established in samadhi." What exactly is samadhi?"
Guru: "Samadhi has many levels, but essentially it is the state where the distinction between knower, knowing, and known dissolves. The mind is so fully absorbed in its object that it forgets itself. At the highest level, the object too dissolves, and what remains is pure consciousness aware of itself. But even preliminary samadhi—sustained, unwavering attention—is impossible for the pleasure-attached mind because such a mind constantly interrupts attention with "What's in it for me?""
Sadhak: "How do I reduce this attachment to pleasure and power? It seems so deeply ingrained."
Guru: "Several approaches work together. First, viveka—discrimination. See clearly that pleasure is temporary and its pursuit endless. You have had many pleasures; are you satisfied? Second, vairāgya—dispassion. Not suppression but the natural fading of interest that comes from seeing through illusion. Third, practice—meditation itself, done repeatedly, gradually trains the mind in stillness. Fourth, devotion—when you fall in love with the Infinite, finite pleasures lose their grip. No single method works alone; the path is a weaving."
Sadhak: "The verse says "by that" (tayā) the mind is carried away. What does "that" refer to?"
Guru: "It refers back to the previous verse—the flowery Vedic speech that promises enjoyment and power through rituals. These teachings, though not false at their level, captivate the mind with visions of pleasure. Religious materialism is particularly seductive because it carries the authority of scripture. The mind thinks: "Even the Vedas promise me heaven if I perform these rituals. This must be the goal." Thus the highest teachings become obstacles when approached with the lowest motivations."
Sadhak: "Is it possible to enjoy the world fully and also attain samadhi? Or must I renounce everything?"
Guru: "The question reveals the attachment. "Must I renounce?" contains reluctance. True renunciation is not giving up what you want but ceasing to want what doesn't serve liberation. When the understanding ripens, you don't feel you are sacrificing pleasure; you feel you are being freed from a burden. Until that ripening, forced renunciation creates only suppression. Continue your practices, deepen your understanding, and let renunciation arise naturally from insight."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Before your meditation today, notice what your mind is anticipating. Is it looking forward to "getting something" from the practice—calm, insight, a good experience? This anticipation is subtle attachment. See if you can release even the desire for a "good meditation" and simply sit, expecting nothing, open to whatever arises. The meditation that expects nothing can receive everything; the meditation that demands results often receives only frustration.
Practice "non-seeking" moments throughout the day. At random times, pause and notice: What is my mind reaching toward right now? A cup of coffee? A notification? A fantasy? The end of this task? Simply notice without judgment. This noticing creates a gap between stimulus and response, between desire and action. In that gap, freedom becomes possible. You don't have to stop the reaching; just see it clearly. Clarity is the beginning of release.
Before sleep, review the day's pleasures. What enjoyments arose? How did the mind relate to them—grasping, savoring, demanding more? What powers or controls did you exercise or seek? Notice how much mental energy went toward these pursuits. Now notice: underneath all the seeking, there was awareness—watching the desires, experiencing the pleasures. That awareness is untouched by what it observes. Rest there tonight, in the space that needs nothing because it already is everything.