What the scriptures say about laziness

What do the scriptures say about laziness?

The texts call it ālasya (आलस्य). Heaviness that keeps one from beginning. Bhartrihari: the great enemy living in one's own body. They set steadiness and enthusiasm against it.

52 verses
7 stories
Weighs on the mind

Read the verses Find it on the map

Krishna

अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः । विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते ॥

ayuktaḥ prākṛtaḥ stabdhaḥ śaṭho naiṣkṛtiko’lasaḥ | viṣādī dīrghasūtrī ca kartā tāmasa ucyate ||

The doer who is undisciplined, vulgar, obstinate, deceitful, malicious, lazy, despondent and procrastinating, is called tamasic.

Bhagavad Gita 18.28

Laziness in the texts' own words

Someone in the verse is in it, or the text names it outright. Many readers find their own day here.

Vidura
संसारयति कृत्यानि सर्वत्र विचिकित्सते / चिरं करोति क्षिप्रार्थे स मूढो भरतर्षभ
saṃsārayati kṛtyāni sarvatra vicikitsate / ciraṃ karoti kṣiprārthe sa mūḍho bharatarṣabha
He drags out what needs doing, doubts everything, and is slow where speed is needed: such a person is a fool, best of the Bharatas.
Mahabharata · Udyoga Parva · Vidura Niti
Depicts stretching out what needs doing. our reading
Krishna
अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः । विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते ॥
ayuktaḥ prākṛtaḥ stabdhaḥ śaṭho naiṣkṛtiko’lasaḥ | viṣādī dīrghasūtrī ca kartā tāmasa ucyate ||
The doer who is undisciplined, vulgar, obstinate, deceitful, malicious, lazy, despondent and procrastinating, is called tamasic.
Bhagavad Gita 18.28
Krishna
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः । शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥
niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ | śarīrayātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyedakarmaṇaḥ ||
Do your allotted work, for action is better than inaction. Even the maintenance of your body would not be possible without action.
Bhagavad Gita 3.8
Bhartrihari
आलस्यं हि मनुष्याणां शरीरस्थो महारिपुः । नास्त्युद्यमसमो बन्धुः कुर्वाणो नावसीदति ॥
ālasyaṃ hi manuṣyāṇāṃ śarīrastho mahāripuḥ | nāstyudyamasamo bandhuḥ kurvāṇo nāvasīdati ||
Laziness is the great enemy that lives in a person's own body. There is no friend like effort; one who works does not sink.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam

What feeds it, step by step

Sequences the texts state outright, in their own order.

Fate is your own past effort

Yoga Vasishtha, Mumukshu Prakarana 4-9

human effort
today's effort
Enthusiasm
Laziness

Fate is only one's own earlier effort. Today's effort and yesterday's meet like two rams, and the stronger wins, so make today's the stronger. A tired mind says that fate did it. Whatever you practise, you become.

Vasishtha
द्वौ हुडाविव युध्येते पुरुषार्थौ समासमौ । प्राक्तनश्चैहिकश्चैव शाम्यत्यत्राल्पवीर्यवान् ॥ अतः पुरुषयत्नेन यतितव्यं यथा तथा । पुंसा तन्त्रेण सद्योगाद्येनाश्वद्यतनो जयेत् ॥
dvau huḍāviva yudhyete puruṣārthau samāsamau | prāktanaścaihikaścaiva śāmyatyatrālpavīryavān || ataḥ puruṣayatnena yatitavyaṃ yathā tathā | puṃsā tantreṇa sadyogādyenāśvadyatano jayet ||
Past effort and present effort fight like two rams, sometimes evenly matched and sometimes not; the weaker one gives way. So strive by every means, with skill and good application, so that today's effort quickly wins.
Yoga Vasishtha
Vasishtha
दोषः शाम्यत्यसंदेहं प्राक्तनोऽद्यतनैर्गुणैः । दृष्टान्तोऽत्र ह्यस्तनस्य दोषस्याद्य गुणैः क्षयः ॥
doṣaḥ śāmyatyasaṃdehaṃ prāktano’dyatanairguṇaiḥ | dṛṣṭānto’tra hyastanasya doṣasyādya guṇaiḥ kṣayaḥ ||
There is no doubt: past faults are calmed by present virtues. The proof is that yesterday's mistake is undone by today's good deeds.
Yoga Vasishtha
Vasishtha
यथा यथा प्रयत्नः स्याद्भवेदाशु फलं तथा । इति पौरुषमेवास्ति दैवमस्तु तदेव च ॥
yathā yathā prayatnaḥ syādbhavedāśu phalaṃ tathā | iti pauruṣamevāsti daivamastu tadeva ca ||
As the effort, so quickly comes the fruit. So there is only effort; if you want to call it fate, it is that same effort.
Yoga Vasishtha

Poison first, nectar after

Bhagavad Gita 18.36-39

practice
Clarity
Joy
Carelessness
Laziness

The joy one grows into by practice, like poison first and nectar in the end, is born of a clear understanding of the self. Pleasure from the senses is nectar first and poison after. The pleasure of sleep, laziness and heedlessness deludes from start to finish.

Krishna
सुखं त्विदानीं त्रिविधं श्रृणु मे भरतर्षभ । अभ्यासाद्रमते यत्र दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति ॥
sukhaṃ tvidānīṃ trividhaṃ śrṛṇu me bharatarṣabha | abhyāsādramate yatra duḥkhāntaṃ ca nigacchati ||
Now hear from me the three kinds of happiness, best of the Bharatas: the happiness one comes to enjoy through practice, and in which one reaches the end of sorrow.
Bhagavad Gita 18.36
Krishna
यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम् । तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम् ॥
yattadagre viṣamiva pariṇāme’mṛtopamam | tatsukhaṃ sāttvikaṃ proktamātmabuddhiprasādajam ||
That which is like poison at first and like nectar in the end, born from the clarity of one's own understanding, is called sattvic happiness.
Bhagavad Gita 18.37
Krishna
विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम् । परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥
viṣayendriyasaṃyogādyattadagre’mṛtopamam | pariṇāme viṣamiva tatsukhaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam ||
The happiness that comes from contact of the senses with their objects, like nectar at first and like poison in the end, is called rajasic.
Bhagavad Gita 18.38

What each guna yields

Bhagavad Gita 14.17; Bhagavad Gita 14.8; Bhagavad Gita 14.12-13

purity
knowledge
passion or activity
Greed
darkness
Carelessness
Laziness
Confusion

Sattva produces knowledge. Rajas produces greed. Tamas produces heedlessness, delusion and ignorance. Tamas binds through heedlessness, laziness and sleep. When rajas rules there is greed, restless activity and craving.

Krishna
तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् । प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥
tamastvajñānajaṃ viddhi mohanaṃ sarvadehinām | pramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata ||
Know tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings. It binds through heedlessness, laziness and sleep, Bharata.
Bhagavad Gita 14.8
Krishna
लोभः प्रवृत्तिरारम्भः कर्मणामशमः स्पृहा । रजस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे भरतर्षभ ॥
lobhaḥ pravṛttirārambhaḥ karmaṇāmaśamaḥ spṛhā | rajasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe bharatarṣabha ||
Greed, activity, the undertaking of actions, restlessness and craving: these arise when rajas increases, best of the Bharatas.
Bhagavad Gita 14.12
Krishna
अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च । तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन ॥
aprakāśo’pravṛttiśca pramādo moha eva ca | tamasyetāni jāyante vivṛddhe kurunandana ||
Darkness, inertia, heedlessness and delusion: these arise when tamas increases, joy of the Kurus.
Bhagavad Gita 14.13

Three kinds of people before an obstacle

Bhartrihari, Niti Shataka 27

The low do not begin because they fear obstacles. The middling begin, then stop when obstacles strike. The best, struck by obstacles again and again, do not give up what they have begun.

Bhartrihari
प्रारभ्यते न खलु विघ्नभयेन नीचैः प्रारभ्य विघ्नविहता विरमन्ति मध्याः ॥ विघ्नैः पुनः पुनरपि प्रतिहन्यमानाः प्रारब्धमुत्तमगुणा न परित्यजन्ति ॥
prārabhyate na khalu vighnabhayena nīcaiḥ prārabhya vighnavihatā viramanti madhyāḥ || vighnaiḥ punaḥ punarapi pratihanyamānāḥ prārabdhamuttamaguṇā na parityajanti ||
The lowest do not begin at all, for fear of obstacles. The middling begin, but stop when obstacles strike. The best, struck by obstacles again and again, do not give up what they have begun.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam

What heals it

What the texts set against it, and the verses that give footing.

Enthusiasmutsāha
No strength greater. stated in the text
Valmiki 4.1.121 GP; Gita 18.26
Today's effortadya paurusha
Today's effort; only with yv.2.6.21 alongside. stated in the text
Yoga Vasishtha 2.4-2.9
Actionkarma
Doing beats not doing; steadiness comes from acting. stated in the text
Gita 3.8; Chandogya 7.21
Steadinessdhṛti
Steadiness keeps the best from abandoning what they began. stated in the text
Bhartrihari Niti 27

Krishna
मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः । सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ॥
muktasaṅgo’nahaṃvādī dhṛtyutsāhasamanvitaḥ | siddhyasiddhyornirvikāraḥ kartā sāttvika ucyate ||
The doer who is free from attachment, does not speak of himself, is full of steadiness and enthusiasm, and unmoved by success or failure, is called sattvic.
Bhagavad Gita 18.26
Krishna
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः । शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥
niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ | śarīrayātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyedakarmaṇaḥ ||
Do your allotted work, for action is better than inaction. Even the maintenance of your body would not be possible without action.
Bhagavad Gita 3.8
Shows doing the work that is yours is better than waiting, and even living needs action. our reading
Bhartrihari
प्रारभ्यते न खलु विघ्नभयेन नीचैः प्रारभ्य विघ्नविहता विरमन्ति मध्याः ॥ विघ्नैः पुनः पुनरपि प्रतिहन्यमानाः प्रारब्धमुत्तमगुणा न परित्यजन्ति ॥
prārabhyate na khalu vighnabhayena nīcaiḥ prārabhya vighnavihatā viramanti madhyāḥ || vighnaiḥ punaḥ punarapi pratihanyamānāḥ prārabdhamuttamaguṇā na parityajanti ||
The lowest do not begin at all, for fear of obstacles. The middling begin, but stop when obstacles strike. The best, struck by obstacles again and again, do not give up what they have begun.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Shows not starting as the lowest option. our reading
Sanatkumara
यदा वै करोत्यथ निस्तिष्ठति नाकृत्वा निस्तिष्ठति कृत्वैव निस्तिष्ठति कृतिस्त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्येति कृतिं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति ॥
yadā vai karotyatha nistiṣṭhati nākṛtvā nistiṣṭhati kṛtvaiva nistiṣṭhati kṛtistveva vijijñāsitavyeti kṛtiṃ bhagavo vijijñāsa iti ||
When one acts, one becomes steadfast. One does not become steadfast without acting; only by acting does one become steadfast. So action itself must be understood. 'Sir, I wish to understand action.'
Chhandogya Upanishad 7.21.1
Shows waiting to feel steady before acting is the wrong order. our reading
Lakshman
उत्साहो बलवानार्य नास्त्युत्साहात् परं बलम्। सोत्साहस्य हि लोकेषु न किंचिदपि दुर्लभम्॥
utsāho balavānārya nāstyutsāhāt paraṃ balam| sotsāhasya hi lokeṣu na kiṃcidapi durlabham||
Noble brother, enthusiasm is powerful; there is no strength greater than enthusiasm. For the person who has it, nothing in the world is out of reach.
Valmiki Ramayana · Kishkindha Kanda
Vasishtha
यो यमर्थं प्रार्थयते तदर्थं चेहते क्रमात् । अवश्यं स तमाप्नोति न चेदर्धान्निवर्तते ॥
yo yamarthaṃ prārthayate tadarthaṃ cehate kramāt | avaśyaṃ sa tamāpnoti na cedardhānnivartate ||
Whoever wants something and works for it step by step will surely get it, unless they turn back halfway.
Yoga Vasishtha
Names the only failure as stopping halfway. our reading
Vasishtha
दोषः शाम्यत्यसंदेहं प्राक्तनोऽद्यतनैर्गुणैः । दृष्टान्तोऽत्र ह्यस्तनस्य दोषस्याद्य गुणैः क्षयः ॥
doṣaḥ śāmyatyasaṃdehaṃ prāktano’dyatanairguṇaiḥ | dṛṣṭānto’tra hyastanasya doṣasyādya guṇaiḥ kṣayaḥ ||
There is no doubt: past faults are calmed by present virtues. The proof is that yesterday's mistake is undone by today's good deeds.
Yoga Vasishtha
Krishna
यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम् । तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम् ॥
yattadagre viṣamiva pariṇāme’mṛtopamam | tatsukhaṃ sāttvikaṃ proktamātmabuddhiprasādajam ||
That which is like poison at first and like nectar in the end, born from the clarity of one's own understanding, is called sattvic happiness.
Bhagavad Gita 18.37
Shows early discipline marks lasting happiness, not a reason to stop. our reading

Practices that grow enthusiasm and steadiness

Verses that give something to do, today or in the hard moment.

Krishna
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः । आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥
mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ | āgamāpāyino’nityāstāṃstitikṣasva bhārata ||
Contact of the senses with their objects brings cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and do not last. Bear them patiently, Arjuna.
Bhagavad Gita 2.14
Bearing what passes without being moved. our reading
Krishna
यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः । इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
yadā saṃharate cāyaṃ kūrmo’ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ | indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā ||
When, like a tortoise drawing in its limbs on every side, a person withdraws the senses from their objects, his wisdom is firmly set.
Bhagavad Gita 2.58
Shows wisdom staying set when the senses are gathered. our reading
Krishna
शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात् । कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः ॥
śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṃ prākśarīravimokṣaṇāt | kāmakrodhodbhavaṃ vegaṃ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ ||
One who is able, here in this life, before leaving the body, to withstand the surge born of desire and anger, is disciplined; he is a happy person.
Bhagavad Gita 5.23
Cultivates the capacity to hold steady while the surge passes. our reading
Bhartrihari
प्रारभ्यते न खलु विघ्नभयेन नीचैः प्रारभ्य विघ्नविहता विरमन्ति मध्याः ॥ विघ्नैः पुनः पुनरपि प्रतिहन्यमानाः प्रारब्धमुत्तमगुणा न परित्यजन्ति ॥
prārabhyate na khalu vighnabhayena nīcaiḥ prārabhya vighnavihatā viramanti madhyāḥ || vighnaiḥ punaḥ punarapi pratihanyamānāḥ prārabdhamuttamaguṇā na parityajanti ||
The lowest do not begin at all, for fear of obstacles. The middling begin, but stop when obstacles strike. The best, struck by obstacles again and again, do not give up what they have begun.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Shows persisting through repeated setbacks. our reading
Bhartrihari
आलस्यं हि मनुष्याणां शरीरस्थो महारिपुः । नास्त्युद्यमसमो बन्धुः कुर्वाणो नावसीदति ॥
ālasyaṃ hi manuṣyāṇāṃ śarīrastho mahāripuḥ | nāstyudyamasamo bandhuḥ kurvāṇo nāvasīdati ||
Laziness is the great enemy that lives in a person's own body. There is no friend like effort; one who works does not sink.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Shows effort as a friend. our reading
Narada
भैषज्यमेतद्दुःखस्य यदेतन्नानुचिन्तयेत् / चिन्त्यमानं हि न व्येति भूयश्चापि प्रवर्धते दुःखोपघाते शारीरे मानसे चाप्युपस्थिते / यस्मिन्न शक्यते कर्तुं यत्नस्तन्नानुचिन्तयेत्
bhaiṣajyametadduḥkhasya yadetannānucintayet / cintyamānaṃ hi na vyeti bhūyaścāpi pravardhate duḥkhopaghāte śārīre mānase cāpyupasthite / yasminna śakyate kartuṃ yatnastannānucintayet
When pain of body or mind arrives and nothing can be done about it, do not keep thinking about it. Not dwelling on it is the medicine for sorrow; brooding does not make it leave, it only makes it grow.
Mahabharata · Shanti Parva · Bhishma, Mokshadharma
Shows withholding attention from the loop as the practice. our reading
Bhishma
विपन्ने च समारम्भे सन्तापं मा स्म वै कृथाः / घटेतैवं सदाऽऽत्मानं राज्ञामेष परो नयः
vipanne ca samārambhe santāpaṃ mā sma vai kṛthāḥ / ghaṭetaivaṃ sadā’’tmānaṃ rājñāmeṣa paro nayaḥ
If an undertaking fails, do not torment yourself over it. Keep applying yourself again and again; this is the highest rule for those who lead.
Mahabharata · Shanti Parva · Bhishma, Rajadharma
Shows renewed exertion is called the supreme rule. our reading
Dharmavyadha (the righteous meat-seller)
न च कामान्न संरम्भान्न द्वेषाद्धर्ममुत्सृजेत् / प्रिये नातिभृशं हृष्येदप्रिये न च संज्वरेत्
na ca kāmānna saṃrambhānna dveṣāddharmamutsṛjet / priye nātibhṛśaṃ hṛṣyedapriye na ca saṃjvaret
Never give up what is right out of desire, rage or hatred. Don't be overjoyed by what pleases you, nor burn with distress at what does not.
Mahabharata · Vana Parva · Vyadha Gita
Holding to dharma under pull is shown. our reading

People who lived it

Someone in the scriptures went through this, and the story shows what turned.

From the Mahabharata
Vidula rouses her defeated son
Kunti sends Yudhishthira the old story of Queen Vidula, who finds her son lying defeated after losing his kingdom. She shames, then reasons, then encourages him until he rises and fights for it again.
Past failure doesn't define you. Results are uncertain, but those who never try never succeed.
From the Ramayana
Jambavant reminds Hanuman of his strength
Nobody can leap the ocean. Old Jambavant admits honestly that he is no longer young. Then he turns to the silent Hanuman and asks why he sits quiet: what task in the world is too hard for him? Hanuman grows to the size of a mountain.
Sometimes we need someone else to remind us what we can do; and the old can be that someone.
From the Ramayana
Jambavan reminds Hanuman who he is
At the ocean's edge, each monkey says how far he can leap; none can cross. Old Jambavan turns to Hanuman, who has sat silent, and reminds him of his birth and power: why are you holding back? This is your time. Hanuman grows and prepares to leap.
Sometimes you need someone to remind you what you are capable of.
From the Yoga Vasishtha
Vasishtha on self-effort: fate is only your past effort
Vasishtha's first teaching to Rama is a long case for self-effort. What people call fate is simply the fruit of their own past effort, and present effort can overcome it, as the stronger of two rams wins. He also says not to torment yourself over what was beyond your power, and to steer your habits gently, like raising a child.
Your past effort shaped today; today's effort shapes tomorrow. Don't grieve what was never in your hands.

Is this where you are?

Write a line about today. Your words find their place on the map, with a verse for each.

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See laziness on the whole map

Questions people ask

What is the Sanskrit word for laziness?

Ālasya (आलस्य). Inertia, not starting.

Which Bhagavad Gita verse speaks about laziness?

Bhagavad Gita 18.28: The doer who is undisciplined, vulgar, obstinate, deceitful, malicious, lazy, despondent and procrastinating, is called tamasic.

How do the scriptures say to overcome laziness?

They set steadiness and enthusiasm against it. No strength greater. (Valmiki 4.1.121 GP; Gita 18.26) Today's effort; only with yv.2.6.21 alongside. (Yoga Vasishtha 2.4-2.9)

Verses, translations and stories come from the Wisdom library, read with the traditional commentaries. A line marked stated in the text is a link the verse or a named commentator makes; our reading is Wisdom's own reading of the verse.