Under the BanyanOld stories, illustrated and annotated

Bhagavad Gita 2.67

Chapter 2, verse 67

Meaning

When the mind trails after whichever sense is roaming, that one sense is enough to carry wisdom away, like a gust of wind driving a boat off course on open water.

The Sanskrit

इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते ।
तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि ॥ ६७ ॥

indriyāṇāṃ hi caratāṃ yan mano 'nuvidhīyate
tad asya harati prajñāṃ vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi

Say it

in-dri-yaa-naam hi chuh-ruh-taam yun-muh-no noo-vi-dhee-yuh-tay
tuh-duh-syuh huh-ruh-ti pruj-nyaam vaa-yur naa-vuh-mi-vaam-bhuh-si

Word by word

indriyāṇām hi caratām
of the senses as they roam
yat manaḥ anuvidhīyate
the one the mind is made to follow
tat asya harati prajñām
that carries off his wisdom
vāyuḥ nāvam iva ambhasi
as the wind carries off a boat on the water
Read it in context: verses 2.65–68A mind that follows the senses is a boat in the windWith the story so far, commentary, and today's lesson: Peace comes before happiness, not after

Another translation and audio recitation: verse 2.67 on holy-bhagavad-gita.org.