The Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran

╭ chapter two
Krishna’s answer (2:55–72) is one of the most quoted passages
in the Gita. Mahatma Gandhi said these verses contain
the essence of the Gita: if the rest of the scripture were lost,
this passage alone would be enough to teach a complete way
of life. Those who are established in wisdom ( sthita-prajna )
live in continuous, unbroken awareness that they are not the
perishable body but the Atman. Further, they see the same
Self in everyone, for the Atman is universally present in all.
Such a one, Krishna says, does not identify with personal
desires. These desires are on the surface of personality, and
the Self is its very core. The Self-realized man or woman is not
motivated by personal desires – in other words, by any desire
for kama , personal satisfaction. This idea is perhaps foreign to
modern ways of thinking, but basic to the Gita – and, indeed,
to mystics of all traditions.
More specifically, the word kama refers to any gratification
of the ego or the senses that entangles us in the world of samsara,
and thus draws us away from the core of our being, the
Self. Those established in Self-realization control their senses
instead of letting their senses control them. If the senses are
not controlled, Krishna warns, the mind (or emotions) will
follow wherever they lead. Eventually a person following the
senses loses strength of will and unity of purpose; his choices
are dictated by his desires. When the will is led astray by the
desire for pleasure, the mind becomes confused and scattered.
Ultimately, Krishna warns, this leads to spiritual destruction:
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