etad-antaḥ samÄmnÄyo
yogaḥ sÄá¹…khyaá¹ manÄ«á¹£iṇÄm
tyÄgas tapo damaḥ satyaá¹
samudrÄntÄ ivÄpagÄḥ
etat - having this; antaḥ - as its conclusion; samÄmnÄyaḥ - the entire Vedic literature; yogaḥ - the standard system of yoga; sÄá¹…khyam - the process of SÄá¹…khya meditation, by which one learns to discriminate between spirit and matter; manÄ«á¹£iṇÄm - of the intelligent; tyÄgaḥ - renunciation; tapaḥ - austerity; damaḥ - sense control; satyam - and honesty; samudra-antÄḥ - leading to the ocean; iva - as; Äpa-gÄḥ - rivers.
According to intelligent authorities, this is the ultimate conclusion of all the Vedas, as well as all practice of yoga, SÄá¹…khya, renunciation, austerity, sense control and truthfulness, just as the sea is the ultimate destination of all rivers.
Here the Lord states that all Vedic literature is meant ultimately to bring the soul to the point of controlling the mind and senses and fixing them in transcendental self-realization. Thus processes of so-called yoga, mysticism or religion that involve unrestricted sense gratification are not actually spiritual processes but rather convenient ways for foolish people to justify their beastly behavior.
Lord Kṛṣṇa here assures the gopīs that by fixing their minds in self-realization, they will realize their spiritual oneness with the Lord. Thus they will no longer suffer the pangs of separation.
