saṅkalpa-prabhavān kāmāṁs tyaktvā sarvān aśeṣataḥ manasaivendriya-grāmaṁ viniyamya samantataḥ
"Abandoning completely all desires born of intention, restraining the entire group of senses by the mind from all directions..."
What This Means:
Give up all desires that arise from mental planning and scheming. Use the mind itself to control the senses completely, from every direction. Don't let any sense slip away unchecked.
Going Deeper:
Desires arise from sankalpa (intention/imagination). By recognizing this origin, we can address desires at their source. The indriya-grama (group/village of senses) must be controlled 'samantata' (completely, from all sides)—no loopholes allowed.
How To Apply This:
Notice how desires begin as thoughts—imagining, planning, fantasizing. Catch them at this stage before they become compulsions. Use your awareness (mind) to oversee all sense activities, not just the obvious ones.
Key Sanskrit Terms: