SOME OTHER GREAT MASTERS OFFER HEARING AND OTHER SENSES IN THE FIRES-OF-RESTRAINT — In all these Yajnas described, the metaphor is taken from the most familiar ritualism known at the time to Arjuna. Oblations were offered, in Vedic ritualism, into the sacred-fire in order to invoke the blessings of the deity. In these examples, we are shown how when some materials are offered into a sacred-fire, not only the oblations get burnt up and consumed by the fire, but also, as a result, a great blessing accrues. Here, it is said that some Masters live on in life constantly offering their senses into the fire-of-self-control, so that the senses, of their own accord get burnt up, contributing a greater freedom and joy in the inner life of the man. It is also a fact, very well experienced by all of us, that the more we try to satisfy the sense-organs the more riotous they become and loot away our inner joy. By self-control alone can the sense-organs be fully controlled and mastered. This is yet another method shown to the seekers by which they can come to experience and live a more intense life of deeper meditation.

If in this method the “Path-of-Sense-control” is indicated, in the second line the “Path-of-Mind-control” is suggested. The mind is sustained and fed by the stimuli that reach it from the outer world. The sense-objects perceived by the organs create and maintain the mind. The mind can never function in a field which cannot be interpreted in terms of the five types of sense-objects. Therefore, to make the mind non-receptive to the perceptions of the Indriyas is a method by which one can gain a better poise in life for purposes of meditation. Such an individual who has controlled the mind completely and withdrawn it totally from the sense-centres is indicated here when the Lord says: “OTHERS OFFER SOUND AND OTHER OBJECTS IN THE FIRES OF THE SENSES.”

If the former method is a technique of controlling the stimuli at the very gateway of the senses, the latter is a different technique of controlling the same from the inner, and therefore more subtle, level of perception, called the mind.

AFTER THUS EXPLAINING THESE FOUR METHODS, YET ANOTHER TECHNIQUE HAS BEEN PROPOUNDED BY THE LORD IN THE FOLLOWING STANZA:

Anye, others, other yogis; juhvati, offer; indriyani, the organs; viz srotradini, car etc.; samyama-agnisu, in the fires of self-control. The plural (in fires) is used because self-control is possible in respect of each of the organs. Self-control itself is the fire. In that they make the offering, i.e. they practise control of the organs. anye, others; juhvati, offer; visayan, the objects; sabdadin, viz sound etc.; indriyagnisu, in the fires of the organs. The organs themselves are the fires. They make offerings in those fires with the organs of hearing etc. They consider the perception of objects not prohibited by the scriputures to be a sacrifice.