Objects fall away from the self-denying person, but the taste for them remains. For the one who has seen the supreme reality, even that taste falls away.
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 2.59
Hindi · हिन्दी
निराहारी इन्द्रियोंको विषयोंसे हटानेवाले मनुष्यके भी विषय तो निवृत्त हो जाते हैं, पर रस निवृत्त नहीं होता । परन्तु इस स्थितप्रज्ञ मनुष्यका तो रस भी परमात्मतत्त्वका अनुभव होनेसे निवृत्त हो जाता है ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
विषयाःobjects of the sensesविनिवर्तन्तेturn awayनिराहारस्यof the one without intakeदेहिनःof the embodied oneरसवर्जम्except for tasteरसःtasteअपिevenअस्यof this oneपरम्the supremeदृष्ट्वाhaving seenनिवर्ततेturns away
Read literallyobjects of the senses · turn away · of the one without intake · of the embodied one · except for taste · taste · even · of this one · the supreme · having seen · turns away
Understanding the verse
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It shifts the mind from suppression to transformation: remove the craving by changing what you truly value.
Stopping the senses is not enough. The outer attraction may fade, but the inner taste remains until a higher reality is directly seen.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
On the battlefield, Arjuna is frozen, and Krishna is explaining why mere suppression cannot solve inner bondage. Even if the senses are pulled back, the craving remains until a deeper vision replaces it.
03
In your life
Why this verse still matters
You delete the app, mute the chat, and swear off the habit — yet the urge returns at midnight. The surface trigger is gone, but the deeper appetite still needs to be seen through.
The takeaway
“Real freedom comes from seeing more clearly, not just forcing restraint.”
Explore related themes: vairagya(51 verses), indriya(19 verses)
Common questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 2.59 mean?
Stopping the senses is not enough. The outer attraction may fade, but the inner taste remains until a higher reality is directly seen.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 2.59?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Sankhya Yoga" (The Yoga of Knowledge).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 2.59?
Verse 59 sits in Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita — Sankhya Yoga, "The Yoga of Knowledge". The chapter has 72 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 2.59 matter today?
You delete the app, mute the chat, and swear off the habit — yet the urge returns at midnight. The surface trigger is gone, but the deeper appetite still needs to be seen through.
It shifts the mind from suppression to transformation: remove the craving by changing what you truly value.
What this verse means
Stopping the senses is not enough. The outer attraction may fade, but the inner taste remains until a higher reality is directly seen.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield, Arjuna is frozen, and Krishna is explaining why mere suppression cannot solve inner bondage. Even if the senses are pulled back, the craving remains until a deeper vision replaces it.
Why this verse still matters
You delete the app, mute the chat, and swear off the habit — yet the urge returns at midnight. The surface trigger is gone, but the deeper appetite still needs to be seen through.
“Real freedom comes from seeing more clearly, not just forcing restraint.”
Explore related themes: vairagya (51 verses), indriya (19 verses)