Bhagavad Gita · Jnana Karma Sannyasa YogaChapter 4, Shloka 26 (4.26)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति
शब्दादीन् विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति
॥ 4.26 ॥
śrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye saṃyamāgniṣu juhvati
śabdādīn viṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati
Translation
"Some offer the ears and other senses into the fire of restraint; and others offer sound and other objects into the fire of the senses."
Interpretation
Two yajñas that look like opposites.
- Offering the senses into the fire of restraint — holding the senses back from their objects.
- Offering the objects into the fire of the senses — taking in objects through the senses, but in the spirit of yajña.
Shankaracharya: (1) indriya-saṃyamam eva kurvanti — they practise restraint of the senses; prati-indriyaṃ saṃyamo bhidyate iti bahuvacanam — restraint differs for each sense, hence the plural "fires". (2) śrotrādibhiḥ aviruddha-viṣaya-grahaṇaṃ homaṃ manyante — taking in permitted objects (not contrary to scripture) through the ears and other senses — this they regard as the offering.
Acharya Ramanuja: (1) śrotrādīnām indriyāṇāṃ saṃyamane prayatante — they strive to restrain the ears and other senses; (2) indriyāṇāṃ śabdādi-viṣaya-pravaṇatā-nivāraṇe prayatante — they strive to check the senses' leaning towards sound and other objects.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.