Sense objects turn away from an embodied person who abstains from them, but the taste (rasa) for them remains. Even this taste disappears for one who has seen the Supreme.
Synthesis
This verse makes a psychologically astute and important distinction: mere abstention from sense objects does not destroy the desire for them. A person can diet, fast, or follow strict vows while still craving intensely. The Sanskrit word 'rasa' (taste, juice, essence) carries the sense of the subtle, persistent craving that survives external abstinence. True liberation from craving comes not from suppression but from vision — 'paraṃ dṛṣṭvā' — having seen the Supreme. When a higher reality is actually experienced (not merely believed in), the taste for lesser pleasures fades naturally. This is the principle of spiritual displacement: you don't overcome a lower pleasure by willpower alone, but by discovering a higher one that renders the lower one unattractive.
Commentaries 8 traditions
Shankara explains that 'paraṃ dṛṣṭvā' — having seen the Supreme — means the direct experience of Brahman in meditation and Self-inquiry. When the infinite bliss of the Self is directly known, the finite pleasures of the senses have no power to attract. This is why jñāna is the final and complete remedy for desire.
Apply This Verse
Personal Growth
Trying to give up bad habits through willpower alone rarely works long-term. The more sustainable approach is to discover and cultivate something more meaningful that naturally displaces the old attraction.
Questions this verse answers
- ?"Why do I still crave things even when I'm not acting on the craving?"
- ?"How do I permanently overcome a desire, not just suppress it?"
- ?"What is the 'higher taste' that replaces lower cravings?"
- ?"Why does willpower alone not work for breaking habits?"