pralapan visṛjan gṛhṇann unmiṣan nimiṣann api indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu vartanta iti dhārayan
pralapan — by talking;
visṛjan — by giving up;
gṛhṇan — by accepting;
unmiṣan — opening;
nimiṣan — closing;
api — in spite of;
indriyāṇi — the senses;
indriya-artheṣu — in sense gratification;
vartante — let them be so engaged;
iti — thus;
dhārayan — considering.
In this verse, Krishna is explaining a deep understanding of how we live our lives day by day. He tells us that when we talk, when we decide to receive something, when we look at things (opening and closing our eyes), we should realize that these actions are just what our senses do.
Imagine you are sitting in a room, and you hear sounds—maybe music or people talking. You might want to turn your head towards the sound, and that’s your ears and neck doing their job. Or think about when you reach out to pick up a snack; your hand is simply doing what it’s made to do. Krishna is saying, don’t believe that you are the one deeply controlling everything. Instead, understand that your senses—your ears, hands, eyes—are just responding naturally to things around you.
This idea helps shift our focus. If we realize that our senses are just part of our body reacting to what's outside, it can help us not get too caught up in what happens next—whether we are happy or sad about an outcome. For example, if you take a test and do well, you might feel happy; but if you don’t do well, you might feel sad. If you understand that it’s not just you doing everything, but your senses and the situation interacting, you might feel less pressure and be less attached to the results.
This understanding frees you from worrying about every result and helps you see life more calmly. It teaches that the true you is deeper than just these actions. You are more than just a person opening and closing their eyes or speaking; your true self is beyond all this. By recognizing this, you can approach life without fear of loss or excitement about gain because you see everything as just part of life flowing naturally.
In essence, Krishna encourages us to be aware of this natural order and stay centered within ourselves, allowing us to deal with life’s ups and downs with peace. Thus, we can serve a higher purpose and live life more meaningfully.