'Out-Going' Nature of the Senses

   'Life' is all about the function of Mind and the Senses. In fact, the Mind is also considered as the Sixth among the Senses- five jnyanendriya, together with the five karmendriyas it is the Eleventh. Thus, the jiva functions in the outer world using the Mind and the Senses. Here the Intellect (buddhi) and the Ego (ahankar) also play their role and put the jiva in a fix, an eternal bondage. The 'Ego' is an important factor that runs the jiva's affairs by dictating 'what to do' and 'what not to do'. It is to satisfy the ego that the jiva runs on errands as dictated by the Mind and use the Senses as its instruments. By themselves, the Senses are of no use! It is the ego that sits on the throne of the Mind and runs the jiva all around serving its purpose and the Buddhi is not in a position to influence its action unless the Mind seeks its service. So, the jiva works senseless,mindlessly in the absence of buddhi; actually, buddhi (Intellect) gets its light from the prajnya (Consciousness). Prajnya gives the flashlight and the buddhi should catch it! But if the buddhi is engaged with the mindless actions of the senses, it loses its focus on the Light.  All these cumbersome affairs of the jiva are of no avail to jiva's liberation from its eternal embodiments! So, the way out of this wranglings is suggested by the Lord in the Gita (2.67). The Lord says,

                    tasmaadyasya mahaabaaho nigruhitaani sarvashah |

                    indriyaanindriyaarthebhyahstasya prajnya pratishthitaa|| 

. Meaning, "Therefore, valiant Arjunaa, mahaabaaho, his wisdom becomes established whose organs in all their varieties are withdrawn from their objects."

   The nature of the phenomenal objective world has already been discussed. The objects do attract the senses, however, the senses may not pay attention to them unless the mind tunes them to the obejects and directs them to experience and submit them to it. If the Mind is not interested in the objective world, there ends the matter! So Bhagavan Shree Krishna is advising us through Arjuna that we should still the mind and see that the senses are withdrawn so that the jiva can start the inward journey towards liberation, emancipation,mukti from repeatwed embodiments.

    Thus, it is very clear the jiva cannot go on enjoying the worldly sensuous objects as well as seek liberation at the same time. Either, it(the jiva) has to close the door for the out-going senses and with- draw them, or just forget about attaining absolute peace and enjoying a more permanent greater happiness as well as 'liberation'.