FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 3.6

కర్మేన్ద్రియాణి సంయమ్య య ఆస్తే మనసా స్మరన్ । ఇన్ద్రియార్థాన్విమూఢాత్మా మిథ్యాచారః స ఉచ్యతే ॥ ౬ ॥
karmendriyāṇi saṁyamya
[karmendriyaani samyamya]
ya āste manasā smaran
[ya aaste manasaa smaran]
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā
[indriyaarthaan vimoodhaatmaa]
mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate
[mithyaachaarah sa uchyate]
Word-for-word
karma - indriyāṇi — the five working sense organs saṁyamya — controlling yaḥ — anyone who āste — remains manasā — by the mind smaran — thinking of indriya - arthān — sense objects vimūḍha — foolish ātmā — soul mithyā - ācāraḥ — pretender saḥ — he ucyate — is called .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
karmendriyāṇi saṁyamya
karma - indriyāṇi
the five working sense organs
saṁyamya
controlling
ya āste manasā smaran
yaḥ
anyone who
āste
remains
manasā
by the mind
smaran
thinking of
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā
indriya - arthān
sense objects
vimūḍha
foolish
ātmā
soul
mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate
mithyā - ācāraḥ
pretender
saḥ
he
ucyate
is called .
Important Words
  • karma - indriyāṇi — the five working sense organs
    Compound: the five active senses (voice, hands, feet, anus, genitals), as distinct from the five jñāna-indriyas. The verse is careful — it is not restraint of the knowledge-senses but of the action-senses that becomes hypocrisy when the mind feasts.
  • manasā — by the mind
    Instrumental. The mind here is doing the actual eating. Until manas is regulated, controlling the outer senses is only theatrical.
  • smaran — thinking of, remembering
    Present participle of √smṛ. The verb of memory is technical here — sense-objects rehearsed in memory are sense-objects re-consumed. In bhakti, smaraṇa is meant to be of Kṛṣṇa; misused, it is the very mechanism of bondage.
  • vimūḍha — foolish, deluded
    From vi-√muh, intensified delusion. Kṛṣṇa does not call this person merely mistaken — he is *vi-mūḍha*, doubly bewildered: about what restraint is, and about himself.
  • mithyā - ācāraḥ — pretender, false-practitioner
    Compound: mithyā (false) + ācāra (conduct). The word that names a recognizable spiritual disease — outward sādhana, inward indulgence. Naming it is the first step to curing it.
One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.
Purport

There are many pretenders who refuse to work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness but make a show of meditation, while actually dwelling within the mind upon sense enjoyment. Such pretenders may also speak on dry philosophy in order to bluff sophisticated followers, but according to this verse these are the greatest cheaters. For sense enjoyment one can act in any capacity of the social order, but if one follows the rules and regulations of his particular status, he can make gradual progress in purifying his existence. But he who makes a show of being a yogī while actually searching for the objects of sense gratification must be called the greatest cheater, even though he sometimes speaks of philosophy. His knowledge has no value, because the effects of such a sinful man’s knowledge are taken away by the illusory energy of the Lord. Such a pretender’s mind is always impure, and therefore his show of yogic meditation has no value whatsoever.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
6. He who, controlling the action of senses, remains remembering those objects of the senses in his mind, is bewildered, and is called a pretender.
Commentary

“But we see some such sannyāsīs, devoid of actions of the senses, with closed eyes.” This verse answers. He who controls the senses of action such as speech or hands (karmendriyāṇi) [Note: The five senses of action are the hands, feet, voice, anus, and genital.] but remains remembering the objects of the senses, under the pretense of meditating, is a cheater (mithyācāraḥ).

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
6. He who, controlling the action senses, remains remembering those objects of the senses in his mind, is bewildered, and is called a pretender.
Commentary

“But it is seen that there are persons who have closed up their senses like the ear and are therefore devoid of actions of attraction and repulsion.” The saṁnyasī is a fool who, stopping his action senses like the voice, still remembers the objects of the senses such as sound, by a mind pretending to meditate. He is called an imposter. Because of remembering sense objects in the mind in spite of not extending the senses outward, which arises because of impurity in the mind through not performing niṣkāma karma, this ignorant person, attempting to control his attraction to material objects, does not attain jṣāna, though he aspires for it. He is thus called a false performer, a pretender, having false control of his speech and other senses. He is a cheater.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Because Krsna has told Arjuna that his adhikary, his eligibility, is karma, work to get clean. "But if you renounce work while your heart isn't clean enough, while your eligibility isn't high enough (because sannyasi means renunciation of prescribed duties), then you are a pretender because your mind will dwell on the sense objects, because your heart is not yet clean and therefore you delude yourself." The sanskrit word for such a person is "mithya‑acarah". "Mithya" means false and "acarah" means follow(?). He is a pretender, he is engaged in false activities. This is what everyone should avoid ‑ one has to learn how to act according to his particular eligibility. This is taught by one's spiritual master. On the other hand,

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Condemns “An unfortunate renunciant” who renounces without purification

Defines ‘pretender’ or ‘mithyacarah’ – He restrains the senses of action but minds dwells on sense objects

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 3.6 & 3.7:

Next Krishna compares an attached sannyasi and a detached householder

Focus of Learning

This purport focuses on some possible characteristics of such pretenders

(a) Show-bottle spiritualist – They make of show of yogic meditation which is “of no value”

(b) No value of the show of meditation

It is of no value because “mind is impure”, dwelling upon sense enjoyment
His knowledge has no value because the effects of such a sinful man’s knowledge are taken away by illusory energy of the Lord

(c) Greatest cheaters – May speak dry philosophy to bluff sophisticated followers, but they are the

greatest cheaters

One who makes a show of being a yogi while actually searching for the objects of sense gratification must be called the greatest cheater

(d) What they should understand – They should understand the following:

For sense enjoyment one can act in any capacity of the social order,
But if one follows the rules and regulations of his particular status he can make gradual progress in purifying his existence

(a) Premature sannyasa is harmful

Premature renunciation is harmful because soul is always active
Either it has to be engaged in service of Krishna or
Under illusory energy where it may acquire three modes

(b) Thus this verse sets criteria on when one should take sannyasa

Depending on the kind of modes one is affected by, sastras present different prescribed duties
to purify us from affinity of modes
to bring us to the level of jnana, with the knowledge of difference between body and soul
Thus when sufficiently purified, one can take sannyasa

(c) “Ultimate goal of Sannyasa, or any purificatory processes is to reach to the point of becoming

Krishna conscious" (Ref. SB 1.5.17)

(d) Krishna consciousness turns yoga-ladder into an elevator – Therefore contact with Krishna

(through contact with devotee) at any step of yoga ladder will speed up the process of purification

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
3.6 Yah, one who; samyamya, after withdrawing; karma-indriyani, the organs of action-hands etc.; aste, sits; manasa, mentally; smaran, recollecting, thinking; indriya-arthan, the objects of the senses; sah, that one; vimudha-atma, of deluded mind; ucyate, is called; mithya-acarah, a hypocrite, a sinful person.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
3.6 He whose inner and outer organs of senses are not conered because of his sins not being annulled but is none the less struggling for winning knowledge of the self, whose mind is forced to turn away from the self by reason of it being attached to sense objects, and who conseently lets his minds dwell on them - he is called a hypocrite, because his actions are at variance with his professions. The meaning is that by practising the knowledge of the self in this way, he becomes perverted and lost.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
3.6 Karmendriyani etc. If he does not act with his organs of action, then he necessarily acts with his mind. At the same time he is the man of deluded action; For, the mental actions can never be avoided totally.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
3.6 He who, restraining the organs of action, sits thinking of the sense-objects in mind, he of deluded understanding is called a hypocrite.
Commentary

3.6 कर्मेन्द्रियाणि organs of action? संयम्य restraining? यः who? आस्ते sits? मनसा by the mind? स्मरन् remembering? इन्द्रियार्थान् senseobjects? विमूढात्मा of deluded understanding? मिथ्याचारः hypocrite? सः he? उच्यते is called.Commentary The five organs of action? Karma Indriyas? are Vak (organ of speech)? Pani (hands)? Padam (feet)? Upastha (genitals) and Guda (anus). They are born of the Rajasic portion of the five Tanmatras or subtle elements Vak from the Akasa Tanmatra (ether)? Pani from the Vayu Tanmatra (air)? Padam from the Agni Tanmatra (fire)? Upastha from the Apas Tanmatra (water)? and Guda from the Prithivi Tanmatra (earth). That man who? restraining the organs of action? sits revolving in his mind thoughts regarding the objects of the senses is a man of sinful conduct. He is selfdeluded. He is a veritable hypocrite.The organs of action must be controlled. The thoughts should also be controlled. The mind should be firmly fixed on the Lord. Only then will you become a true Yogi. Only then will you attain to Selfrealisation.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
3.6 One, who after withdrawing the organs of action, sits mentally recollecting the objects of the senses, that one, of deluded mind, is called a hypocrite.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
3.6 He who remains motionless, refusing to act, but all the while brooding over sensuous object, that deluded soul is simply a hypocrite.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 3.7 BG 2.60 BG 6.16 SB 5.6.4 SB 11.20.21 SB 9.19.17 CC Antya 2.117 CC Madhya 22.94 CC Madhya 8.23 Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.4Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.5
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Forced restraint of the senses while the mind dwells on sense objects is hypocrisy — outward control without inner transformation.
Practical Applications
  • Don't congratulate yourself for restraining a behavior while the mind continues to feast on it.
  • Cultivate the higher taste (kīrtana, prasāda, sat-saṅga) so the mind also moves on, not just the body.
  • Avoid the 'pretender' trap: outward austerity, inward indulgence.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is my outward restraint hiding inner indulgence?
  • What higher taste needs cultivating so the mind is genuinely freed?
Analogy

A man sits cross-legged before the deity with eyes closed while his mind walks the bazaar buying sweets. The body is in the temple; the mind is in the shop. Such a posture is not meditation — it is a costume worn over the same old appetite.

Stories
Ajāmila's Long Pretense

Ajāmila of the Bhāgavatam began life as a strict brāhmaṇa, performing all the outward rites. But seeing one woman in the forest, his mind broke its bonds; from then on he kept the rituals only by habit, while the inner man fed elsewhere. Years of outward śauca did not save him from the consequences of inner mithyācāra — only at the end, by accidentally calling 'Nārāyaṇa' to his son, did real grace intervene.

Kṛṣṇa here in 3.6 names exactly Ajāmila's middle-life condition: the senses restrained, the mind feasting. The verse is a mercy to those who have not yet noticed they are wearing a costume.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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