Vivekachudamani 23

visayebhyah paravartya sthapanam svasvagolake |
ubhayesa mindriyanam sa damah parikirtitah |
bahya nalam banam vrttereso paratiruttama ||
(Sankaracarya's Vivekachudamani 23)

Steering both kinds of sense organs (of knowledge and action) away from their sense objects and placing them in their respective centers of activity is called dama (self-control). The best uparati (self-withdrawal) is the condition of the thought-waves in which they are free from the influences of external objects.

The whole material energy is enchanting every one of us by the womanly beauty. Actually, there is no beauty. It is illusion. Sankaracarya says that "You are after this beauty, but have you analyzed this beauty? What is the beauty?" Etad rakta-mamsa-vikaram. This body is combination of blood and muscles and veins. If you cut the upper portion of your body, as soon as you see inside, it is all obnoxious horrible things. But outwardly so painted by the illusory color of maya, oh, it looks very attractive. And that is attracting our senses. This is the cause of our bondage. We are being bound up by some false illusory beauty of this world. Mirage. The exact example is a mirage. What is a mirage? Reflection of the sunlight on the desert appears like water. Where is water there? There is no water. The animal, thirsty animal, is after the mirage. "Oh, here is water. I'll be satisfied." Similarly, we are hankering after, running after the mirage. There is no peace, there is no happiness. Therefore we have to divert our attention back to Godhead. Don't run after this mirage. Just turn back to Godhead, back to Krsna. That is our goal. Don't engage your senses in the illusory material beauty. Just apply your senses to Lord Madhava, the real beauty. That is what mentioned above as damah (self-control).