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Bhagavad-gītā 2.67

इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते । तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि ॥ ६७ ॥
indriyāṇāṁ hi caratāṁ
[indriyaanaam hi charataam]
yan mano ’nuvidhīyate
[yan mano ’nuvidheeyate]
tad asya harati prajñāṁ
[tad asya harati prajnaam]
vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi
[vaayur naavam ivaambhasi]
Word-for-word
indriyāṇām — of the senses hi — certainly caratām — while roaming yat — with which manaḥ — the mind anuvidhīyate — becomes constantly engaged tat — that asya — his harati — takes away prajñām — intelligence vāyuḥ — wind nāvam — a boat iva — like ambhasi — on the water .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
indriyāṇāṁ hi caratāṁ
indriyāṇām
of the senses
hi
certainly
caratām
while roaming
yan mano ’nuvidhīyate
yat
with which
manaḥ
the mind
anuvidhīyate
becomes constantly engaged
tad asya harati prajñāṁ
tat
that
asya
his
harati
takes away
prajñām
intelligence
vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi
vāyuḥ
wind
nāvam
a boat
iva
like
ambhasi
on the water .
Important Words
  • indriyāṇām — of the senses
    Genitive plural — *of the senses*. The general subject; the specific sense will be designated by *yad mano 'nuvidhīyate* — *whichever the mind follows*.
  • caratām — of the roaming
    Genitive of carat — *of the moving*. The senses are characteristically *roaming*; they are not at rest. The verse's danger comes from this constant motion.
  • anuvidhīyate — is conformed
    Passive of anu-vi-√dhā — to lay down after, to follow. The manas *follows after* (anu) one sense. The grammar makes the manas the agent of its own subjection.
  • harati — carries away
    From √hṛ — to carry off, to seize. Same root as in verse 60 (haranti). Even a single sense, when the manas follows, *seizes* prajñā. The single indriya is enough.
  • vāyuḥ — wind
    Nominative of vāyu. The verse's three-element simile (vāyuḥ nāvam iva ambhasi — like wind upon a boat on water) names vāyu as the active force: wind blows, water moves, boat carries the helpless. The practitioner is the boat, the manas is the water, the wandering sense is the wind.
As a strong wind sweeps away a boat on the water, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man’s intelligence.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Even letting the mind follow one wandering sense is enough to capsize wisdom — as a single gust sweeps a boat off course. The image is precise: nothing exotic is needed for derailment; a single inattentive moment suffices.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The boat-and-wind simile becomes a Sanskrit literary touchstone. The grammar is exact: yat (n.sg., singular) — only one sense is enough. The locative ambhasi places the boat in its element — water — which lets the wind work; analogously, the mind in the field of objects is structurally exposed to derailment. Hence the next verse's emphatic restatement.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
चरताम् इन्द्रियाणाम् यत् (इन्द्रियम्) मनः अनुविधीयते, तत् अम्भसि नावम् वायुः इव अस्य प्रज्ञाम् हरति हि ।
caratām indriyāṇām yat (indriyam) manaḥ anuvidhīyate, tat ambhasi nāvam vāyuḥ iva asya prajñām harati hi |
When the mind follows even one of the wandering senses, that (sense) carries away his wisdom, as wind a boat on water.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
इन्द्रियाणाम् हि चरताम् यत् मनः अनुविधीयते । तत् अस्य हरति प्रज्ञाम् वायुः नावम् इव अम्भसि ॥
indriyāṇām hi caratām yat manaḥ anuvidhīyate | tat asya harati prajñām vāyuḥ nāvam iva ambhasi ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
इन्द्रियाणाम् indriyāṇām इन्द्रिय (n.) gen.pl. (genitive plural) of the senses
हि hi ind. (indeclinable), emphatic indeed
चरताम् caratām √चर् pres. (present) part. gen.pl. (genitive plural)n., 'of the wandering' of the wandering
यत् yat यद् (rel.) nom./acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. that which / when
मनः manaḥ मनस् (n.) nom./acc.sg. (accusative singular) the mind
अनुविधीयते anuvidhīyate अनु+वि+√धा pass. (passive) pres. (present) 3sg., 'is made to follow' is set to follow
तत् tat तद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. that
अस्य asya इदम् (dem. (demonstrative)) gen.sg. (genitive singular)m. his
हरति harati √हृ pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice), 'carries off' carries away
प्रज्ञाम् prajñām प्रज्ञा (f.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) wisdom
वायुः vāyuḥ वायु (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular), 'wind' wind
नावम् nāvam नौ (f.) acc.sg. (accusative singular), 'boat' a boat
इव iva ind. (indeclinable), 'like' like
अम्भसि ambhasi अम्भस् (n.) loc.sg. (locative singular), 'on water' on water
Purport

Unless all of the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord, even one of them engaged in sense gratification can deviate the devotee from the path of transcendental advancement. As mentioned in the life of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, all of the senses must be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for that is the correct technique for controlling the mind.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
67. The mind which follows one of the moving senses steals away the intelligence, as wind moves a boat on the water.
Commentary

This verse examines the person with no intelligence due to lack of control of the mind (ayuktasya buddhiḥ na asti described in the previous verse). Among all the senses moving towards their respective sense objects, the mind follows after one sense. In this way a person follows each of the senses. Such a mind takes away the intelligence or prajñā of the person, just as unfavorable wind takes a boat off course which is being steered somewhere on the water.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
67. One of the moving senses, which the mind follows, steals away the intelligence, as wind moves a boat on the water.
Commentary

This verse speaks of the faults arising from lack of sense control arising from not absorbing his mind in Me. Among the uncontrolled senses which move towards sense objects, the mind becomes focused on one sense such as the ear or eye. This one sense followed by the mind leads away the intelligence concentrated on ātmā, because of the mind’s being attracted to the sense object. And this is also the case with all the senses. It is like unfavorable wind taking away a boat being steered on the water.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Translation
As a boat on the water is swept away by a strong wind, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man's intelligence.
Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Answers fourth question “How does he walk?”

Implies – How does he engage his senses
Answer – While engaging senses, he does with regulation and religious principles
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
2.67 Hi, for; yat manah, the mind which; anu-vidhiyate, follows in the wake of; caratam, the wandering; indriyani, senses that are tending towards their respective objects; tat, that, the mind engaged in thinking [Perceiving objects like sound etc. in their respective varieties.] of the objects of the senses; harati, carries away, destroys; asya, his, the sannyasin's; prajnam, wisdom born from the discrimination between the Self and the not-Self. How? Iva, like; vayuh, the wind; diverting a navam, boat; ambhasi, on the waters. As wind, by diverting a boat on the waters from its intended course, drives it along a wrong course, similarly the mind, by diverting the wisdom from the pursuit of the Self, makes it engage in objects. After having stated variously the reasons for the idea conveyed through the verse, 'For, O son of Kunti,' etc. (60), and having established that very idea, the Lord concludes thus:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
2.67 That mind, which is allowed by a person to be submissive to, i.e., allowed to go after the senses which go on operating, i.e., experiencing sense-objects, such a mind loses its inclination towards the pure self. The meaning is that it gets inclined towards sense-objects. Just as a contrary wind forcibly carries away a ship moving on the waters, in the name manner wisdon also is carried away from such a mind. [The idea is that the pursuit of sense pleasures dulls one's spiritual inclination, and the mind ultimately succumbs to them unresisting.]
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
2.67 See Comment under 2.68
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
2.67 For the mind, which follows in the wake of the wandering senses, carries away his discrimination, as the wind (carries away) a boat on the waters.
Commentary

2.67 इन्द्रियाणाम् senses? हि for? चरताम् wandering? यत् which? मनः mind? अनुविधीयते follows? तत् that? अस्य his? हरति carries away? प्रज्ञाम् discrimination? वायुः the wind? नावम् boat? इव like? अम्भसि in the water.Commentary The mind which constantly dwells on the sensual objects and moves in company with the senses destroys altogether the discrimination of the man. Just as the wind carries away a boat from its course? so also the mind carries away the aspirant from his spiritual path and turns,him towards the objects of the senses.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
2.67 For, the mind which follows in the wake of the wandering senses, that (mind) carries away his wisdom like the mind (diverting) a boat on the waters.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
2.67 As a ship at sea is tossed by the tempest, so the reason is carried away by the mind when preyed upon by straying senses.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 2.60 BG 3.40 BG 6.34 SB 5.6.4 SB 7.15.40 SB 11.20.21 CC Madhya 20.94 CC Madhya 22.31 CC Antya 6.220 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.5BRS 1.2.220
Study Q&A referencing this verse
Sciences essays referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
As wind sweeps a boat off course on the water, even one wandering sense, when the mind follows it, robs all intelligence.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize that even one unguarded sense can capsize the entire spiritual journey.
  • Identify your most vulnerable sense and apply protection — not legalism, but care.
  • Remember that the mind following the sense is the actual problem, more than the sense itself.
Reflection Questions
  • Which 'wandering sense' has most often blown my boat off course?
  • What does it look like to keep the mind from following it?
Analogy

A boat on a wide water needs only one strong wind from one direction to be carried far off course. One sense alone, if the mind follows it, sweeps prajñā away — the other senses need not even cooperate. The verse warns: do not negotiate with one indulgence; the boat is too easily moved.

Stories
Ajāmila and the youthful prostitute

A respected brāhmaṇa boy, Ajāmila was sent by his father into the forest to gather articles for worship. He saw one woman in compromise with a low-class man; one glance fixed his mind. From that one indriya wandering, his marriage, his learning, his caste-conduct — all collapsed.

The Bhāgavatam preserves his fall as the verse's exact illustration: *one* of the roaming senses, with the manas following, swept his entire prajñā into the river. (His rescue, by chance utterance of the holy name, is verse 40's illustration. The same life witnesses both verses.)

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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