Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam - Chapter 3 - sloka 34

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevavananda's translation of Ramanuja Gita Bhashya, published by Ramakrishna Mission.

How to root out the Ego - sloka 27-32

1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yaoga - Sloka 34

Serthi - Thirukannapuram Sowriraja Perumal

Indriyasya indriyasya arthe raga dveshau vyavasthithau I

Tayo na vasham agachet tau hi asya pari panthinau II sloka 34

इन्द्रियस्य इन्द्रियस्य अर्थे राग द्वेषौ व्यवस्थिथौ ।

तयोः न वशं आगच्छेत  तौ हि अस्य परि पन्थिनौ ।। श्लोक ३४ 

Each sense has fixed attachment to, & aversion for, its corresponding object. But no one should come under their sway; for they are his foes.

An unavoidable attraction has been fixed for organs of sense like ear towards the objects like sound and for organs of action like that of tongue towards their objects like tasty food. This longing is in the form of desire to experience these objects, which is caused by old subtle impressions. When their experience is thwarted, an unavoidable aversion is experienced. Thus, these two, attachment and aversion, bring under their control one who aspires to follow jnana yoga, and forcibly engage him in actions appropriate to them,  in spite of his having established some sort of control over the senses.

Such an aspirant fails to get the experience of the self, and therefore becomes completely lost. SO no one practising jnana yoga should come under the sway of attachment and aversion, which are ruinous. These two are indeed his unconquerable foes that deter him from the practise of jnana yoga.