Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 34 (BG 3.34) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

In the previous verse, it was stated that even the learned person who studies the scriptures finds himself unable to live a life of high morality, because certain lower tendencies within him sometimes prove more powerful than his will. Merely prescribing a medicine that is unavailable everywhere does not constitute a cure for the disease. It is the duty of the philosopher and seeker of truth not only to reveal the weaknesses of our present life, but also to impart knowledge of the state of perfection and to show the path of practice through which we can become free from defects and establish ourselves in our complete nature. Only by doing this can such a philosopher and knower of truth fulfill the purpose of his generation. It is true that every person acts according to their nature, but this nature is created by them through their own actions and thoughts, and not because of any external cause. Therefore, there is opportunity here for human effort. This is what Sri Krishna is explaining. In the mind of every person, attachment or aversion arises toward the objects of each sense. The objects of the senses—sound, touch, and so forth—cannot by themselves produce suffering or distraction in our inner consciousness. By grasping the objects, the mind develops attachment toward some and aversion toward others. Because of these attachments and aversions of the mind, the sight or attainment of pleasant or unpleasant objects brings joy or sorrow to the person. Having thus created attachment and aversion, the person then strives to gain what is pleasant and reject what is unpleasant. Because attachments and aversions constantly change with respect to objects, the mind remains perpetually disturbed. Sri Krishna says that these attachments and aversions are thieves that rob the mind of peace, and because of them, a person cannot live a true life. This is indeed a matter of sorrow. After revealing the actual state of things, the Lord instructs all seekers that a person should not be enslaved by these two forces. The Bhagavad Gita nowhere teaches escape from the external world, either directly or indirectly. The Lord's teaching here is to live in the present circumstances of life, experiencing all experiences through the body, mind, and intellect. The insistence is only that in all circumstances, a person should remain the master of the mind and other instruments, and not become their servant. The means to attain such mastery is to become free from attachment and aversion. To gain freedom from attachment and aversion, one must eliminate false ego and the other tendencies arising from it, because attachment and aversion are connected to ego. Therefore, when actions are performed without ego, desires are destroyed. Desires give rise to the mind, and there the play of ego occurs. As desires gradually diminish, the mind is also destroyed. When the mind is destroyed, the ego—which is the reflection of the pure atman—is also destroyed. The Lord explains the means to destroy desires in the following verse.