Swami Kriyananda, commenting on Bhagavad Gita 2:59–61, explains that merely abstaining from sense pleasures doesn’t remove their hold—the “taste” lingers until one experiences the Supreme Spirit, after which nothing but the Infinite satisfies. Even wise, self-controlled individuals can be swept away by latent desires (sanskaras) if senses remain untamed. True mastery requires withdrawing energy from the senses, as yoga teaches, and anchoring the heart in deep devotion, which makes lesser attractions powerless.

He shares Yogananda’s insights that even saints can fall until they realize their oneness with God beyond ego identity. There are two samadhis: sabikalpa (still ego-aware) and nirbikalpa (ego dissolved). Only in the latter is liberation secure. Yet no sincere spiritual effort is ever lost—God ensures progress across lifetimes. Once the desire for God awakens, it relentlessly draws the soul back to Him, making all else unsatisfying. In the end, every seeker must return to the Infinite for lasting freedom.