jihvā - the tongue; ekataḥ - on one side; amum - the body or the conditioned soul who identifies with the body; apakarṣati - drags away; karhi - sometimes; tarṣā - thirst; śiśnaḥ - the genitals; anyataḥ - on another side; tvak - the sense of touch; udaram - the belly; śravaṇam - the ears; kutaścit - from somewhere else; ghrāṇaḥ - the sense of smell; anyataḥ - from another side; capala-dṛk - the fickle eyes; kva ca - somewhere else; karma-śaktiḥ - the other active organs and limbs of the body; bahvyaḥ - many; sa-patnyaḥ - co-wives; iva - like; geha-patim - the head of the household; lunanti - pull in many directions.

A man who has many wives is constantly harassed by them. He is responsible for their maintenance, and thus all the ladies constantly pull him in different directions, each struggling for her self-interest. Similarly, the material senses harass the conditioned soul, pulling him in many different directions at once. On one side the tongue is pulling him to arrange tasty food; then thirst drags him to get a suitable drink. Simultaneously the sex organs clamor for satisfaction, and the sense of touch demands soft, sensuous objects. The belly harasses him until it is filled, the ears demand to hear pleasing sounds, the sense of smell hankers for pleasant aromas, and the fickle eyes clamor for pleasing sights. Thus the senses, organs and limbs, all desiring satisfaction, pull the living entity in many directions.