Gita series – part 30. Bhagavad Gita Chapter II - Verses–64-65:

Krishna continues. “The man with self-control, without desires and aversions with subjugated senses and still associated with material objects attains internal calmness. If internal clarity is attained, all his grief will be annihilated. His knowledge soon becomes well established in the Supreme Self” (verses 64 and 65). Senses can be controlled through different routes, but these routes do not keep the senses under check always. The only way to eternally control the senses is to calm the mind. There is no point in leading a saintly life, internally associating our thoughts with material pleasures. In spite of the pleasure objects being recognized by the eyes, the information provided by the eyes to the mind should not alter the firm attitude of the mind. If one develops such a firm mental attitude, irrespective of what is around him, he is not influenced by any sensual objects. Self-control is the stage beyond desires and aversions. Plenty and paucity do not make difference to him, as his senses are totally under his control. A person is said to have reached the stage of self-control only when his consciousness does not fall from higher planes to get associated with material world.

When we say subjugated senses, we have to know the authority to which they are subjugated. Obviously, they have to be submitted to the Supreme Self. If they are subjugated to the mind, then there is every possibility of falling from the higher level of consciousness to the lower level of consciousness. When a person so fond of chocolates is not tempted, when boxes of chocolates are around him, he can be known as the person who has subjugated his senses to the Self. This is called self-control without desires and aversions. Most of the times, it is possible to control the desires, but controlling aversions could be a difficult task. Aversion, anger and hatred are the most difficult qualities to control. However, it is important to control negative thoughts, as they cause serious damage to the mental equilibrium. If you look at those negative thoughts, you may observe that any one among them could lead to other negativities, heading to annihilation. The inner calmness refers to the un-afflicted mind. When the mind is not influenced by senses, the mind is calm. On the contrary, if influenced by senses, the mind gets agitated with all negativities and in the process, influences the organs of action.

When organs of action function under the influence of an afflicted mind, it enslaves him to habits. It is like drunken driving, which could cause unexpected accident. In order to avert such accidents, Krishna advocates a calm mind. The organs of actions are the main reason for accruing sins which in turn influence karmic account. When mental clarity is attained, the mind never gets adversely influenced under any circumstances. Such clarity can be attained only through single pointed internal focus on the Self and this process is called meditation. When the mind is calmed by meditation, the bliss is realized, making him to be with that bliss forever. In such a stage, he has neither inclination nor time to think about extraneous objects. When he does get himself associated with actions that he performs, naturally the fruits of such actions are not realised by him. He knows that cause of such actions is not gross body, but the internal Self, with whom he has identified himself steadfastly.