Yoga Sutra 2.55 supreme mastery of the senses

Sūtra II.55

From that, supreme mastery of the senses. With this sūtra ends the Second Part, on Means, of the Yoga Sūtra-s composed by the great ṛṣi Holy Patañjali

Some hold that conquest of the senses means not being addicted to sound or other objects, always abstaining from them, or not being attached to them. He explains what is meant by addiction (vy-asana): addiction is attachment, in the sense that it impels (as-) him wrenches him away from (vy-) association with his highest good (śreyas). Such is addiction.

Some think that conquest of the senses means acceptance of what is not forbidden; he says this is approved scripturally recognized sense-contact with the objects according to his own will. If he desire, he may engage in the things so long as they are not forbidden, or not (so engage). Others again say that conquest mastery of the senses is to experience objects without desire or aversion, and void of pleasure or pain, free from any idea that they are to be avoided or taken up. In the middle one (the previous view) actual desire and aversion are not ruled out; that is the distinction.

Now he puts forward the view which he favours:

Jaigīṣavya holds that sense mastery is only the non-perception of objects like sound resulting from one-pointedness of the senses from their conforming to the one-pointedness of the mind. This mastery is the highest out of all those which have been stated, in which when mind is inhibited, senses are inhibited; unlike the other conquests of the senses the masteries already mentioned, yogin-s having practised this, do not have to look for further means to attain mastery.

With this, the Second Part, on Means, of the sub-commentary by the holy Lord (bhagavat) Śaṅkara, who is a paramahaṃsa parivrājaka ācārya and pupil of holy Lord Govindapāda whose feet are to be worshipped, is complete.