Slaves of the senses

೧೦)
ದಾಸರೋ ನಾವೆಲ್ಲ ಶುನಕನಂದದಿ ಜಗದ |
ವಾಸನೆಗಳೆಳೆತಕ್ಕೆ, ದಿಕ್ಕುದಿಕ್ಕಿನಲಿ ||
ಪಾಶಗಳು ಹೊರಗೆ, ಕೊಂಡಿಗಳು ನಮ್ಮೊಳಗಿಹವು |
ವಾಸನಾ ಕ್ಷಯಮೋಕ್ಷ ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ||

Tired of being called a slave? Here goes one more!! DVG starts with the phrase "we are all slave of the traps outside". "daasa" or "slave" has little to independence to choose. It appears as if we have plenty to choose from but our senses dictate those options. So, its a myth that we make the choice. The tongue dictates what we eat; people have absolutely no control over what they eat - obesity is soon becoming the biggest headache worldwide as junk food dominate our tastes. Skin dictates the touch and feel, the male and female attraction for the sake of sensual pleasure. Similarly, we simply follow their instructions of our eyes, ears, and nose. Even if Mind intervenes it is soon overpowered by these senses. So, are we not slaves?

We may argue against this but psychological studies have consistently shown that we are not in control! We seem rational, logical, but rationality and logic are in the end only to satisfy these senses - for the pleasure sake only. We know that some food are unhealthy but we have little control. It needs self-control, and conscious effort to overcome these powerful signals.

There are numerous traps out there and we have the hooks within us looking for those traps, worse than the fishes. Will freedom from this never ending attrachment to external objects ever end?