A reward-obsessed mind cannot become deeply steady.

This verse completes the sequence of verses 42-44 by drawing the practical conclusion: when a mind is chronically captivated by desire for enjoyment (bhoga) and power (aiśvarya), the 'vyavasāyātmikā buddhi' — the resolute, single-pointed intelligence described in verse 41 — simply cannot take root in that mind. The word 'apahṛta-cetasām' (those whose minds are stolen) is evocative: the mind has been hijacked by desire, carried away from its own center.

The connection between desire-management and the inability to achieve genuine stillness is profoundly understood in the contemplative traditions. In meditation practice, it is well recognized that the main obstacle to depth is not the lack of technique but the presence of strong craving — for pleasant states, for spiritual experiences, for the confirmation of one's existing beliefs, for the resolution of anxiety.

These cravings pull the attention away from the simple, present-moment awareness that is the ground of genuine insight.

For the modern practitioner, this verse is a diagnostic tool. If meditation practice feels consistently frustrating, scattered, or superficial, the question to ask is not 'what technique am I missing?' but 'what desire is dominating my awareness right now?' When the mind is fundamentally in a mode of wanting — wanting comfort, wanting validation, wanting the meditation to produce a specific result — samadhi (deep collected stillness) is not available.

The prerequisite for depth is a genuine willingness to release the grip of craving, even temporarily, and simply be present without an agenda.