In plain words
All that is seen will one day turn out to be unreal. But the seeing stays one. True sādhana is to separate the two, the seen and the seer; that is, the seer from the seen. All this is Prakṛti. Paramātma is the current within. Joining these two, they experience power, the power of the senses. So they fall prey to pleasure and pain. So first of all we must try to free our senses from desires.
The jīva cannot live without desires, but we must enjoy them in a measured way. Without discipline, our welfare is harmed. Among the senses, three are very important. Of these, two are more important still. That is why God is giving everyone a warning. “Two are very strong, which is why they have lids. Do not use them without restraint.” The eyes have lids. When there is no need, we can close them. The ears have no lids. The nose has no lids. The mouth has a lid. So we must cut down our words. We must keep the tongue under control. We must keep the eyes under control. If we keep these two under control, the other senses come under control naturally. The more the eyes see, the more the mouth babbles as it pleases. The more the mouth speaks, the more the eyes long to see. When these two join, they ruin life. So whatever we look at, we must see only the good.
Students! If you keep these three senses under control, Ānanda becomes your own. So see what is good. Become good. Speak well. You must be sparing of speech. Little is good. Conversation must be wholesome. It must be measured.
Jayadeva speaks to the tongue. “O tongue that knows the flavour! Tongue that teaches what is true, pleasing and good! Tongue that makes the principle of Paramātma dance! Follow the proper path. Do not utter untruth, unpleasant words or speech full of agitation.” ‘Anudvega karaṃ vākyaṃ, satyaṃ priya hitañca yat’, said the Bhagavad Gītā. Three things are dear to God. A tongue not defiled by untruth and the like is very dear to God. A body not defiled by violence and the like is also dear to God. A mind not defiled by attachment, hatred and the like is dear to God. These three are the trikaraṇas. Since some untruth or other may come into our words, the ṛṣis of old prescribed silence, so that one would not speak too much. One must not utter untrue words because they are pleasing. If you live in a village, you have to meet someone or other. You have to talk about something or other. ‘Why all these troubles?’ So the ṛṣis would go away to the forest. In the forest there is no room for talk. There is no chance there of hearing blame or praise. There is no situation where one must see evil sights. Sitting peacefully in the forest, they experienced the divine principle in the senses.