The Gita according to Gandhi 228

The Gita according to Gandhi -Mahadev Desai

DISCOURCE 3 6. He who curbs the organs of action but allows the mind to dwell on the senseobjects, such a one, wholly deluded, is called a hypocrite. The man who curbs his tongue but mentally swears at another is a hypocrite. But that does not mean that free rein should be given to the organs of action so long as the mind cannot be brought under control. Self-imposed physical restraint is a condition precedent to mental restraint. Physical restraint should be entirely self-imposed and not super- imposed from outside, e.g. by fear. The hypocrite who is held up to contempt here is not the humble aspirant after self-restraint. The shloka has reference to the man who curbs the body because he cannot help it while indulging the mind, and who would indulge the body too if he possibly could. The next shloka puts the thing conversely.