True mastery of senses means offering their enjoyment to Krishna first, as a servant waits upon the master.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Bhagavad-gītā 2.9 — August 15, 1973, London 730815BG-LONDON [34:15 Minutes] Bg-02.09_730815BG-LONDON Pradyumna: Translation: "Sañjaya said: Having spoken thus, Arjuna, chastiser of enemies, told Kṛṣṇa, 'Govinda, I shall not fight,' and fell silent." [Bg. 2.9]
Prabhupāda: In the previous verse, Arjuna said that "There is no profit in this fighting, because the other side, they are all my relatives, kinsmen, and by killing them, even if I become victorious, so what is the value?" That we have explained, that such kind of renouncement sometimes takes place in ignorance. Actually, it is not very much intelligently placed. So in this way, evam uktvā, "saying this, 'So there is no profit in fighting,' " evam uktvā, "saying this," hṛṣīkeśam... He is speaking to the master of the senses.
And in previous verse he has said, śiṣyas te 'haṁ prapannam [Bg. 2.7]: "I am Your surrendered disciple." So Kṛṣṇa becomes guru, and Arjuna becomes the disciple. Formerly they were talking as friends. But friendly talking cannot decide any serious question. When there is some serious matter, it must be spoken between authorities.
So hṛṣīkeśam, I have several times explained. Hṛṣīka means the senses, and īśa means the master. Hṛṣīka-īśa, and they join together: Hṛṣīkeśa. Similarly, Arjuna also: guḍāka-īśa.
Guḍāka means darkness, and īśa. Darkness means ignorance. ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-guruve namaḥ [Śrī guru-praṇāma] Guru's duty is... A śiṣya, a disciple, comes to the guru for enlightenment. Everyone is born foolish.
Everyone. Even the human being, because they are coming from the animal kingdom by evolution, so the birth is the same, ignorance, like animal. Therefore, even though one is human being, he requires education. The animal cannot take education, but a human being can take education. Therefore śāstra says, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate vid-bhujāṁ ye [SB 5.5.1].
I have several times recited this verse, that now... In the lower than human being condition, we have to work very hard simply for four necessities of life: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Sense gratification. Main object is sense gratification.