tasmād yasya mahā-bāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā
"Therefore, O mighty-armed one, whose senses are completely withdrawn from their objects—that person's wisdom is firmly established."
What This Means:
Krishna concludes: Therefore, the person who has mastered their senses—who can pull them back from sense objects at will—that person's wisdom is rock-solid. Sense mastery equals wisdom stability. This is the bottom line.
Going Deeper:
The word 'nigrihitani' means held back, restrained, mastered. Not destroyed, not suppressed, but under control. This is the third time Krishna uses 'prajna pratishthita' (wisdom firmly established) as the gold standard. And each time, it's connected to sense mastery. The message is clear: wisdom requires sovereignty over the senses.
How To Apply This:
Evaluate your own sense mastery. Can you stop eating when full? Can you turn off entertainment when needed? Can you resist buying things you don't need? Each small victory strengthens your 'wisdom muscles.' Each loss to temptation weakens them. Practice daily.
Key Sanskrit Terms: