The Nature of Sense Perceptions
Chapter 2 • Verse 14
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः | आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत || १४ ||
mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ | āgamāpāyino 'nityās tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata || 14 ||
Simple English
O son of Kunti, the contacts of the senses with their objects give rise to cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and are impermanent. Endure them, O descendant of Bharata.
Simple Hindi
हे कुन्तीपुत्र! इन्द्रियों और उनके विषयों के संयोग से शीत-उष्ण, सुख-दुःख उत्पन्न होते हैं। वे आने-जाने वाले और अनित्य हैं, हे भरतवंशी, उन्हें सहन करो।
Spiritual Meaning
Krishna teaches that all sensory experiences are temporary visitors to the eternal soul. The wise person remains as the unchanging host, unaffected by the coming and going of sensory guests.
Psychological Meaning
This verse provides cognitive reframing for emotional experiences. By labeling feelings as "coming and going" phenomena, it reduces identification with temporary states.
Scientific & Mental Impact
Chanting this verse activates the insular cortex, which processes bodily sensations, while simultaneously engaging the prefrontal cortex for emotional regulation.
Context & Sacred Story
Arjuna is experiencing extreme emotional pain at the thought of killing his relatives. Krishna begins teaching him how to transcend temporary experiences.
Daily-Life Usage
Use when feeling overwhelmed by pleasure or pain. Remind yourself "this too shall pass" while chanting.
Practitioner Roadmap
Tailoring the vibration to your spiritual stage.
Those struggling with emotional volatility, addiction to sensory pleasures, or mood swings
None
Beginner Focus
Simply observe your next pleasant or unpleasant experience as a passing cloud.
Advanced Mastery
Practice "Titiksha" (endurance) not as suppression but as deep witnessing without reaction.
Ritual Dos
- ✦ Chant while experiencing strong sensations
- ✦ Observe sensations without judgment during chanting
Ritual Don'ts
- ✦ Do not use this to suppress genuine needs
- ✦ Avoid chanting with resistance to the current experience
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Word-by-Word Meaning
The Sacred Distinction
Mantra vs. Affirmation
While affirmations try to convince the mind of stability, this mantra actually generates the neurological state of equanimity through specific sound vibrations.
"I am the stable witness of all changing experiences."
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