51. Longing for Sense-Objects
K rishna says, “Sense-objects fall away from the abstinent person, but not ras (longing) and longing ceases only when one realises the supreme” (2.59). Indriyas have a physical instrument and a controller. The mind is the combination of controllers of all sense organs. Krishna advises us to focus on the controller part which sustains the longing. Krishna uses the word ‘ ras ’ whose literal meaning is juice. When a ripened fruit is cut, ‘ ras ’ is not visible unless it is squeezed. The same is the case with butter in milk. ‘ Ras ’ is the intrinsic longing that exists in indriyas . At an ignorant level, indriyas are attached to the sense-objects and keep swinging between polarities of pain and pleasure. In the next stage, the sense-objects get detached due to external circumstances, but the longing remains. For example, on a doctor’s advice we may stop eating sweets or consume alcohol, but the longing for sweets or alcohol remains. External circumstances may include mor...