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.
Srimad Bhagavata Purana
श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम्
मूल श्लोकः
जिह्वैकतोऽमुमपकर्षति कर्हि तर्षा शिश्नोऽन्यतस्त्वगुदरं श्रवणं कुतश्चित् । घ्राणोऽन्यतश्चपलदृक् क्व च कर्मशक्तिः बह्व्यः सपत्न्य इव गेहपतिं लुनन्ति
jihvaikato'mumapakarṣati karhi tarṣā śiśno'nyatastvagudaraṃ śravaṇaṃ kutaścit | ghrāṇo'nyataścapaladṛk kva ca karmaśaktiḥ bahvyaḥ sapatnya iva gehapatiṃ lunanti
SB 11.9.27