Bhagvad Gita (shloka 2.59):
TRANSLATION
THE EMBODIED SOUL MAY BE RESTRICTED FROM SENSE ENJOYMENT, THOUGH THE TASTE FOR
SENSE OBJECTS REMAINS. BUT, CEASING SUCH ENGAGEMENTS BY EXPERIENCING A HIGHER
TASTE, HE IS FIXED IN CONSCIOUSNESS.
PURPORT
UNLESS ONE IS TRANSCENDENTALLY SITUATED, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CEASE FROM SENSE
ENJOYMENT.
THE PROCESS OF RESTRICTION FROM SENSE ENJOYMENT BY RULES AND REGULATIONS IS
SOMETHING LIKE RESTRICTING A DISEASED PERSON FROM CERTAIN TYPES OF EATABLES.
THE PATIENT, HOWEVER, NEITHER LIKES SUCH RESTRICTIONS, NOR LOSES HIS TASTE FOR
EATABLES.
SIMILARLY, SENSE RESTRICTION BY SOME SPIRITUAL PROCESS LIKE ASTANGA-YOGA, IN
THE MATTER OF YAMA, NIYAMA, ASANA, PRANAYAMA, PRATYAHARA, DHARANA, DHYANA, ETC.
, IS RECOMMENDED FOR LESS INTELLIGENT PERSONS WHO HAVE NO BETTER KNOWLEDGE.
BUT ONE WHO HAS TASTED THE BEAUTY OF THE SUPREME LORD KRSNA, IN THE COURSE OF
HIS ADVANCEMENT IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS, NO LONGER HAS A TASTE FOR DEAD MATERIAL
THINGS.
THEREFORE, RESTRICTIONS ARE THERE FOR THE LESS INTELLIGENT NEOPHYTES IN THE
SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT OF LIFE, BUT SUCH RESTRICTIONS ARE ONLY GOOD IF ONE
ACTUALLY HAS A TASTE FOR KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS.
WHEN ONE IS ACTUALLY KRSNA CONSCIOUS, HE AUTOMATICALLY LOSES HIS TASTE FOR PALE
THINGS.
