Control Of Senses!
The ancient sages regarded sense-control as a form of penance. Disciplining of senses calls for an understanding of how the senses function.
A Christian priest learnt a lesson in sense control from the driver of a horse carriage in which he was travelling. The priest noticed that the driver was beating the horse severely as it was approaching a railway crossing. Taking pity on the animal, the priest asked the driver why he was beating the horse unnecessarily. The driver explained that at the level crossing there were some white painted stones which caused a fright in the horse. He was beating the animal as the horse was more afraid of the whip than the white stone. The priest learnt that diverting the mind away from one undesirable thought was the way to turn it in the desirable direction.
Man should strive to be a master of the senses and not their slave. What is the easiest way to achieve this mastery? Only the spiritual path. By developing one-pointed devotion, the senses can be brought under control. Remember the senses can do nothing by themselves; they are not independent. If the mind is brought under control, the senses can also be controlled.
Righteous action and control of the senses are essential for the cultivation of universal love and goodness!