Prabhupāda: If you simply engage your senses to execute the order of the Lord, then it is controlled. Otherwise, you cannot control. It is impossible, because we have got our senses—they are very strong. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). The mind is the master of the senses. The central sense, the chief sense, the prime minister sense is the mind. Therefore Mahārāja Ambarīṣa first of all engaged his mind in Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ. If you engage your mind always to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then the sense deviation, sense going other, otherwise—immediately controlled. Immediately controlled.
The senses are very strong. They are compared with serpents. Durdāntendriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5). Kāla-sarpa. Just like cobra. Some way or other, it touches you—immediately death. So our senses are so strong that it is simply dragging us towards hell. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram (SB 7.5.30). Mind is dragging somewhere, eyes is dragging somewhere, ear is dragging somewhere and touch sensation is dragging somewhere. In this way we are perplexed.
Therefore the process is sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). You have to engage your mind unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and your tongue, always chanting and taking little prasādam. Then all senses will be controlled. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. And see. Eyes should be engaged to see the Deity, very gorgeously, nicely dressed. Then our eyes will not ask, "Oh, let me see this beautiful woman." No.
You will see the most beautiful woman, Rādhārāṇī, and you will become . . . similarly, ear should be engaged always hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Eyes, ear . . . nose should be engaged for smelling the flower which is offered to Kṛṣṇa. Legs should be engaged for preaching work going or going to the temple. Hands should be engaged for cleansing the temple. In this way, if you are engaged always your senses, you are perfect. You are the greatest yogī.
Yogī means yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Yoga practice means to control the senses. But this bhakti process is so nice, automatically senses are controlled.
- yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
- mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
- śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ
- sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
- (BG 6.47)
He is the highest yogī. Those whose senses are always engaged in serving or satisfying Kṛṣṇa, he is the greatest yogī.
Finished? "Therefore controlling the senses means to engage them in the transcendental service of the Lord."
Pradyumna: "The Lord's order descends in disciplic succession through the bona fide spiritual master, and thus execution of the order of the bona fide spiritual master is factual control of the senses. Such execution of penance in full faith and sincerity made Brahmājī so powerful that he became the creator of the universe. And because he was able to attain such power, he is called the best amongst all the tapasvīs."
Prabhupāda: Nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim: "If you cannot approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then what is the value of your tapasya?" Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim: "And if somehow or other, if you approach Kṛṣṇa, there is no more necessity of tapasya." You have already got all the results of tapasya.