Verse 2.2.91

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.91:

मनो-वृत्तिं विना सर्वेन्द्रियानां वृत्तयोऽफलाः ।
कृतापीहाकृतैव स्याद् आत्मन्य् अनुपलब्धितः ॥ ९१ ॥

mano-vṛttiṃ vinā sarvendriyānāṃ vṛttayo'phalāḥ |
kṛtāpīhākṛtaiva syād ātmany anupalabdhitaḥ || 91 ||

manaḥ-vṛttim–the action of the mind; vinā–without; sarva–all; indriyāṇām–of the senses; vṛttayaḥ–the functions; aphalāḥ–fruitless; kṛtā–made; api–although; īhā–an endeavor; akṛtā–not done; iva–as if; syāt–may be; ātmani–in the mind; anupalabdhitaḥ–because of not being perceived.

Without the mind’s activity, the functions of the senses are futile–for as long as the mind does not experience the activities of the senses, they are as if never performed. Therefore, actual darśana of Śrī Bhagavān takes place when He manifests in the supremely pure consciousness of the mind and heart.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

After first explaining this subject with positive propositions, or in other words, with logical consequence, Śrī Pippalāyana now uses negative logic. He says, “Without the function of the mind, the actions of the senses are useless. Although the senses may attempt to enjoy their designated sense objects, without the function of the mind, the functions of the senses cannot be effected–they are as if not performed–and they cannot experience enjoyment of their objects. Why is this so? It is because the embodied soul cannot experience sense objects without the volition of the mind. This can be understood by examining the statement, ‘sukha-pāṭhyamāna bhagavatstotra–I happily recited the prayers glorifying Bhagavān.’ The pleasure experienced here comes from absorption of the mind, not action of the eyes. Therefore, darśana of Śrī Bhagavān takes place when the Lord manifests Himself within a transcendentally pure state of mind. As He is imperceptible to the senses, seeing Him is impossible with the eyes alone.”