Bhagwad Gita 2, 14
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदु: खदा: | आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत || 14||
mātrā-sparśhās tu kaunteya śhītoṣhṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ āgamāpāyino ’nityās tans-titikṣhasva bhārata
O son of Kunti, the contact between the senses and the sense objects gives rise to fleeting perceptions of happiness and distress. These are non-permanent and come and go like the winter and summer seasons. O descendent of Bharat, one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.
The human body has five senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. When they come in contact with their objects of perception, they give rise to sensations of pleasure and pain. None of these sensations is permanent. They come and go like the changing seasons. Although cool water provides pleasure in the summer, the same water gives distress in the winter. Thus, both the perceptions of happiness and distress experienced through the senses are transitory. If we allow ourselves to be influenced by them, we will sway like a pendulum from side to side. A person of discrimination should practice tolerating both feelings of pleasure and pain without being disturbed by them.
Nuclear physicist and Nobel laureate Niels Bohr stated that "our laws of Nature do not describe the universe as such and they rather reveal our limited knowledge." In other words, our 5 senses and the mind only represent partial truth and not the nature of reality as it is. Our ancient Rishis understood the limitations of our human mind and how it can distort reality by creating its own illusory imaginations and projections. Therefore, they warned us not to remain tied to physical comforts and sensory experiences. This illusory power of Nature is called Maya.
Sanatan culture focuses on developing inner clarity and strength through Self-knowledge and devotion and be free from the illusion of mind and worldly dependency. We must be humble enough to acknowledge our limitations and surrender our limited ego's understanding to the Supreme. Our limited human mind caught in worldly & personal pleasure and pain can never comprehend the Bliss of Universal nature. Therefore we must guide our mind by Divine wisdom without getting influenced by temporary likes-dislikes and drive our life towards fulfilment and freedom.
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