What the scriptures say about carelessness

What do the scriptures say about carelessness?

The texts call it pramāda (प्रमाद). Living carelessly, letting what matters slip. Sanatsujata calls it death itself; the Gita lists it as tamas' binding. They set resolve and discernment against it.

51 verses
5 stories
Weighs on the mind

Read the verses Find it on the map

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

Carelessness 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.

Sugriva
नाथ विषय सम मद कछु नाहीं। मुनि मन मोह करइ छन माहीं। सुनत बिनीत बचन सुख पावा। लछिमन तेहि बहु बिधि समुझावा ॥
nāth viṣay sam mad kachu nāhīṃ| muni man moh karai chan māhīṃ| sunat binīt bacan sukh pāvā| lachiman tehi bahu bidhi samujhāvā ||
Lord, there is no intoxicant like the pleasures of the senses; they cloud even a sage's mind in an instant. Hearing his humble words, Lakshman was pleased and reassured him in many ways.
Ramcharitmanas · Kishkindha Kand
Shows comfort making him forget what he owed. our reading
Indra
न हि प्रज्ञापेता वाङ्नाम किंचन प्रज्ञपयेदन्यत्र मे मनोऽभूदित्याह नाहमेतन्नाम प्राज्ञासिषमिति न हि प्रज्ञापेतः प्राणो गन्धं कंचन प्रज्ञपयेदन्यत्र मे मनोऽभूदित्याह नाहमेतं गन्धं प्राज्ञासिषमिति नहि
na hi prajñāpetā vāṅnāma kiṃcana prajñapayedanyatra me mano’bhūdityāha nāhametannāma prājñāsiṣamiti na hi prajñāpetaḥ prāṇo gandhaṃ kaṃcana prajñapayedanyatra me mano’bhūdityāha nāhametaṃ gandhaṃ prājñāsiṣamiti nahi
Without attention, speech conveys no word at all. A person says, 'My mind was elsewhere; I did not catch that word.' Without attention, breath conveys no smell. A person says, 'My mind was elsewhere; I did not notice that smell.'
Kaushitaki Upanishad 3.7
Shows my mind was elsewhere, I did not catch that. our reading
Vishvamitra
अहोरात्रापदेशेन गताः संवत्सरा दश ॥ काममोहाभिभूतस्य विघ्नोऽयं प्रत्युपस्थितः।
ahorātrāpadeśena gatāḥ saṃvatsarā daśa || kāmamohābhibhūtasya vighno’yaṃ pratyupasthitaḥ|
Ten years went by as if they were a single day and night. Lost in desire, this obstacle came and I did not see it.
Valmiki Ramayana · Bala Kanda
He wakes to find a decade gone without noticing. our reading
the devas
तवैव सत्तया देव ! सत्तावन्तो वयं तव । आश्रिता आपि मूढास्त्वां विस्मरामो हि मायया ॥
tavaiva sattayā deva ! sattāvanto vayaṃ tava | āśritā āpi mūḍhāstvāṃ vismarāmo hi māyayā ||
By your being alone, O God, we exist and are yours; though we depend on you, we fools forget you through maya.
Vishnu Gita 1.58
Shows depending on God and still forgetting. our reading
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
Sanatsujata
उभे सत्ये क्षत्रियाद्य प्रवृत्ते / मोहो मृत्युः संमतोऽयं कवीनाम् / प्रमादं वै मृत्युमहं ब्रवीमि / तथाऽप्रमादममृतत्वं ब्रवीमि
ubhe satye kṣatriyādya pravṛtte / moho mṛtyuḥ saṃmato’yaṃ kavīnām / pramādaṃ vai mṛtyumahaṃ bravīmi / tathā’pramādamamṛtatvaṃ bravīmi
Both views are true, O king, and both have been held from the beginning. The wise regard delusion as death. I say that heedlessness is death, and heedfulness is immortality.
Mahabharata · Udyoga Parva · Sanatsujatiya
Teacher
आचार्याय प्रियं धनमाहृत्य प्रजातन्तुं मा व्यवच्छेत्सीः । सत्यान्न प्रमदितव्यम् । धर्मान्न प्रमदितव्यम् । कुशलान्न प्रमदितव्यम् । भूत्यै न प्रमदितव्यम् । स्वाध्यायप्रवचनाभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम् ॥
ācāryāya priyaṃ dhanamāhṛtya prajātantuṃ mā vyavacchetsīḥ | satyānna pramaditavyam | dharmānna pramaditavyam | kuśalānna pramaditavyam | bhūtyai na pramaditavyam | svādhyāyapravacanābhyāṃ na pramaditavyam ||
Having brought your teacher the gift he values, do not cut off the line of your family. Do not drift from truth. Do not drift from what is right. Do not neglect your wellbeing. Do not neglect your prosperity. Do not neglect study and teaching.
Taittiriya Upanishad 1.11.1

What feeds it, step by step

Sequences the texts state outright, in their own order.

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

Six faults that block every rise

Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva 33

Carelessness
Fear
Anger
Laziness

A person who wants to prosper should give up six faults. The faults are too much sleep, drowsiness, fear, anger, laziness, and procrastination.

Vidura
षड्दोषाः पुरुषेणेह हातव्या भूतिमिच्छता / निद्रा तन्द्री भयं क्रोध आलस्यं दीर्घसूत्रता
ṣaḍdoṣāḥ puruṣeṇeha hātavyā bhūtimicchatā / nidrā tandrī bhayaṃ krodha ālasyaṃ dīrghasūtratā
Six faults must be given up by anyone who wants to prosper: too much sleep, drowsiness, fear, anger, laziness and procrastination.
Mahabharata · Udyoga Parva · Vidura Niti

Heedlessness is death

Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva 42 (Sanatsujatiya)

Carelessness
death
heedlessness
immortality

Heedlessness is death and being awake is the deathless. Those who chase desires die with them.

Sanatsujata
उभे सत्ये क्षत्रियाद्य प्रवृत्ते / मोहो मृत्युः संमतोऽयं कवीनाम् / प्रमादं वै मृत्युमहं ब्रवीमि / तथाऽप्रमादममृतत्वं ब्रवीमि
ubhe satye kṣatriyādya pravṛtte / moho mṛtyuḥ saṃmato’yaṃ kavīnām / pramādaṃ vai mṛtyumahaṃ bravīmi / tathā’pramādamamṛtatvaṃ bravīmi
Both views are true, O king, and both have been held from the beginning. The wise regard delusion as death. I say that heedlessness is death, and heedfulness is immortality.
Mahabharata · Udyoga Parva · Sanatsujatiya
Sanatsujata
कामानुसारी पुरुषः कामाननु विनश्यति / कामान्व्युदस्य धुनुते यत्किञ्चित्पुरुषो रजः
kāmānusārī puruṣaḥ kāmānanu vinaśyati / kāmānvyudasya dhunute yatkiñcitpuruṣo rajaḥ
A person who runs after desires perishes along with them; one who sets desires aside shakes off whatever dust clings to him.
Mahabharata · Udyoga Parva · Sanatsujatiya

What heals it

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

Heedlessnessapramada
Arise, awake. stated in the text
Sanatsujatiya; Katha 1.3.14; Taittiriya 1.11
Resolvesaṅkalpa
Do tomorrow's work today; Vishvamitra begins again. stated in the text
Medhavin; Valmiki Bala 64
Discernmentviveka
Choosing the good over the pleasant. stated in the text
Katha 1.2.2

Yama
श्रेयश्च प्रेयश्च मनुष्यमेतस्तौ सम्परीत्य विविनक्ति धीर:। श्रेयो हि धीरोऽभि प्रेयसो वृणीते प्रेयो मन्दो योगक्षेमाद् वृणीते ॥
śreyaśca preyaśca manuṣyametastau samparītya vivinakti dhīra:| śreyo hi dhīro’bhi preyaso vṛṇīte preyo mando yogakṣemād vṛṇīte ||
The good and the pleasant both come to a person. The wise one examines them and tells them apart. The wise chooses the good over the pleasant; the dull chooses the pleasant, for getting and keeping.
Katha Upanishad 1.2.2
Shows drifting toward the easy option is a decision. our reading
Yama
उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत । क्षुरस्य धारा निशिता दुरत्यया दुर्गं पथस्तत्कवयो वदन्ति ॥
uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varānnibodhata | kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā durgaṃ pathastatkavayo vadanti ||
Arise! Awake! Go to the great ones and learn. Sharp as a razor's edge, hard to cross, is that path, say the wise.
Katha Upanishad 1.3.14
Shows a direct call out of drift. our reading
Narrator (Shatananda)
कोपेन च महातेजास्तपोऽपहरणे कृते। इन्द्रियैरजितै राम न लेभे शान्तिमात्मनः॥ बभूवास्य मनश्चिन्ता तपोऽपहरणे कृते। नैवं क्रोधं गमिष्यामि न च वक्ष्ये कथंचन ॥
kopena ca mahātejāstapo’paharaṇe kṛte| indriyairajitai rāma na lebhe śāntimātmanaḥ|| babhūvāsya manaścintā tapo’paharaṇe kṛte| naivaṃ krodhaṃ gamiṣyāmi na ca vakṣye kathaṃcana ||
In his anger he lost what his effort had earned, and with his senses unmastered he found no peace. Then he resolved: 'I will not give way to anger like this again, and I will not speak in it.'
Valmiki Ramayana · Bala Kanda
Bhartrihari
दौर्मन्त्र्यान्नृपतिर्विनश्यति यतिः सङ्गात् सुतो लालनाद् विप्रोऽनध्ययनात् कुलं कुतनयाच्छीलं खलोपासनात् । ह्रीर्मद्यादनवेक्षणादपि कृषिः स्नेहः प्रवासाश्र- यान्मैत्री चाप्रणयात् समृद्धिरनयात् त्यागः प्रमादाद्धनम् ॥
daurmantryānnṛpatirvinaśyati yatiḥ saṅgāt suto lālanād vipro’nadhyayanāt kulaṃ kutanayācchīlaṃ khalopāsanāt | hrīrmadyādanavekṣaṇādapi kṛṣiḥ snehaḥ pravāsāśra- yānmaitrī cāpraṇayāt samṛddhiranayāt tyāgaḥ pramādāddhanam ||
A king is ruined by bad counsel, an ascetic by attachment, a son by spoiling, a brahmin by neglecting study, a family by a wayward son, character by serving the wicked, modesty by drink, farming by neglect, affection by living far away, friendship by lack of warmth, prosperity by bad conduct, and wealth by careless spending.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Names the neglect that erodes each thing. our reading
Bhartrihari
सन्तप्तायसि संस्थितस्य पयसो नामापि न ज्ञायते मुक्ताकारतया तदेव नलिनीपत्रस्थितं राजते । स्वात्यां सागरशुक्तिमध्यपतितं तन्मौक्तिकं जायते प्रायेणाधममध्यमोत्तमगुणः संसर्गतो जायते ॥
santaptāyasi saṃsthitasya payaso nāmāpi na jñāyate muktākāratayā tadeva nalinīpatrasthitaṃ rājate | svātyāṃ sāgaraśuktimadhyapatitaṃ tanmauktikaṃ jāyate prāyeṇādhamamadhyamottamaguṇaḥ saṃsargato jāyate ||
Water on red-hot iron leaves not even a name behind; the same water on a lotus leaf shines like a pearl; fallen into a sea oyster under the Svati star, it becomes a pearl. As a rule, low, middling or high qualities come from the company one keeps.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Shows the influence of surroundings. our reading
The seers
भर्गो विश्वसमर्चितं यदिह ते ह्यास्ते दयासागर ! तन्नो बुद्धिमहर्निशं गणपते ! शक्तचा स्वया सत्वरम । संरक्ष्यासत एव कर्मनिवहात् सत्कर्मणि प्रेरयेत् सियाऽलङ्कृतवामपार्श्व ! भगवस्त्वां सन्नमामो वयमा ॥
bhargo viśvasamarcitaṃ yadiha te hyāste dayāsāgara ! tanno buddhimaharniśaṃ gaṇapate ! śaktacā svayā satvarama | saṃrakṣyāsata eva karmanivahāt satkarmaṇi prerayet siyā’laṅkṛtavāmapārśva ! bhagavastvāṃ sannamāmo vayamā ||
Ocean of compassion, Ganapati: may your radiance, which the whole world worships, by its own power quickly guard our minds, day and night, from wrong action, and urge them to good action. Blessed one, with Siddhi at your left side, we bow to you.
Dheesh Gita 7.27
The mind is guarded from drifting into wrong action. our reading
The Swan (Prajapati)
यादृशैः संविवदते यादृशांश्चोपसेवते / यादृगिच्छेच्च भवितुं तादृग्भवति पूरुषः यदि सन्तं सेवति यद्यसन्तं / तपस्विनं यदि वा स्तेनमेव / वासो यथा रागवशं प्रयाति / तथा स तेषां वशमभ्युपैति
yādṛśaiḥ saṃvivadate yādṛśāṃścopasevate / yādṛgicchecca bhavituṃ tādṛgbhavati pūruṣaḥ yadi santaṃ sevati yadyasantaṃ / tapasvinaṃ yadi vā stenameva / vāso yathā rāgavaśaṃ prayāti / tathā sa teṣāṃ vaśamabhyupaiti
The people one argues with, the people one keeps company with, and what one wishes to become: that is what a person becomes. Whether he serves the good or the bad, the disciplined or a thief, just as a cloth takes on the colour of its dye, he falls under their influence.
Mahabharata · Shanti Parva · Bhishma, Mokshadharma
Makes visible a slow influence one usually does not notice. our reading
Draupadi
यो हि दिष्टमुपासीत निर्विचेष्टः सुखं स्वपन् / अवसीदेत्सुदुर्बुद्धिरामो घट इवोदके
yo hi diṣṭamupāsīta nirviceṣṭaḥ sukhaṃ svapan / avasīdetsudurbuddhirāmo ghaṭa ivodake
The fool who just waits on fate, doing nothing and sleeping comfortably, sinks like an unbaked clay pot in water.
Mahabharata · Vana Parva · Vana: Draupadi and Yudhishthira
Comfortable waiting ends in dissolving. our reading

Practices that grow resolve and discernment

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

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 settles the question of whether to act at all. our reading
Krishna
उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् । आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥
uddharedātmanā’’tmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayet | ātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ ||
Raise yourself by your own self; do not let yourself sink. For the self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is the enemy of the self.
Bhagavad Gita 6.5
Shows the decision to be on one's own side. our reading
Bhartrihari
गुणवदगुणवद्वा कुर्वता कार्यजातं परिणतिरवधार्या यत्नतः पण्डितेन । अतिरभसकृतानां कर्मणामाविपत्ते- र्भवति हृदयदाही शल्यतुल्यो विपाकः ॥
guṇavadaguṇavadvā kurvatā kāryajātaṃ pariṇatiravadhāryā yatnataḥ paṇḍitena | atirabhasakṛtānāṃ karmaṇāmāvipatte- rbhavati hṛdayadāhī śalyatulyo vipākaḥ ||
Whether a task is good or bad, a wise person should first carefully weigh its outcome. The result of deeds done in great haste burns the heart like a thorn until one's dying day.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Bhartrihari
जाड्यं धियो हरति सिञ्चति वाचि सत्यं मानोन्नतिं दिशति पापमपाकरोति । चेतः प्रसादयति दिक्षु तनोति कीर्तिं सत्सङ्गतिः कथय किं न करोति पुंसाम् ॥
jāḍyaṃ dhiyo harati siñcati vāci satyaṃ mānonnatiṃ diśati pāpamapākaroti | cetaḥ prasādayati dikṣu tanoti kīrtiṃ satsaṅgatiḥ kathaya kiṃ na karoti puṃsām ||
Good company takes dullness from the mind, sprinkles truth into speech, raises one's dignity, removes wrongdoing, clears the heart and spreads one's good name in every direction. Tell me, what does good company not do for a person?
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Shows removal of dullness of mind. 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
Holding to what was begun. our reading
The seers
भर्गो विश्वसमर्चितं यदिह ते ह्यास्ते दयासागर ! तन्नो बुद्धिमहर्निशं गणपते ! शक्तचा स्वया सत्वरम । संरक्ष्यासत एव कर्मनिवहात् सत्कर्मणि प्रेरयेत् सियाऽलङ्कृतवामपार्श्व ! भगवस्त्वां सन्नमामो वयमा ॥
bhargo viśvasamarcitaṃ yadiha te hyāste dayāsāgara ! tanno buddhimaharniśaṃ gaṇapate ! śaktacā svayā satvarama | saṃrakṣyāsata eva karmanivahāt satkarmaṇi prerayet siyā’laṅkṛtavāmapārśva ! bhagavastvāṃ sannamāmo vayamā ||
Ocean of compassion, Ganapati: may your radiance, which the whole world worships, by its own power quickly guard our minds, day and night, from wrong action, and urge them to good action. Blessed one, with Siddhi at your left side, we bow to you.
Dheesh Gita 7.27
Urged toward right action. our reading
Gautama (retold by Bhishma)
चिरेण मित्रं बध्नीयाच्चिरेण च कृतं त्यजेत् / चिरेण हि कृतं मित्रं चिरं धारणमर्हति
cireṇa mitraṃ badhnīyāccireṇa ca kṛtaṃ tyajet / cireṇa hi kṛtaṃ mitraṃ ciraṃ dhāraṇamarhati
Make a friend slowly, and give one up slowly. A friendship made slowly is one that lasts long.
Mahabharata · Shanti Parva · Bhishma: Mokshadharma
Take time before binding or breaking a bond. our reading
Narada
प्रज्ञया मानसं दुःखं हन्याच्छारीरमौषधैः / एतद्विज्ञानमसामर्थ्यं न बालैः समतामियात्
prajñayā mānasaṃ duḥkhaṃ hanyācchārīramauṣadhaiḥ / etadvijñānamasāmarthyaṃ na bālaiḥ samatāmiyāt
Heal the pain of the mind with wisdom and the pain of the body with medicine. That is what knowledge can do; don't behave like a child about it.
Mahabharata · Shanti Parva · Bhishma: Mokshadharma

People who lived it

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

From the Ramayana
Sugriva forgets his promise
The rains end and Sugriva, now king, has forgotten his promise to search for Sita. Ram is hurt; Lakshman storms into the city in anger. Hanuman had already nudged Sugriva, who comes out, admits that comfort intoxicated him, and sends search parties in every direction.
Success and comfort make us forget who helped us; admit it quickly and make it right.
From the Upanishads
The chariot of the self
Yama pictures a person as a chariot: the self is the rider, the body the chariot, the intellect the driver, the mind the reins and the senses the horses. With a steady mind the horses obey; without it they bolt. He ends with the call to arise and wake.
Hold the reins of your mind, or your senses will drive for you.
From the Ramayana
Sugriva forgets his promise
Restored to his throne, Sugriva sinks into pleasure and forgets his promise to search for Sita. Hanuman warns him that help given late counts for little. Autumn comes; angry, Ram sends Lakshman, and Hanuman counsels the frightened Sugriva to bear harsh words and keep faith.
Comfort makes us forget our promises; a true friend reminds us in time.
From the Other Gitas
Vishnu on where fear comes from
The frightened gods ask Vishnu how to become fearless. He explains that every possession carries its own fear (the body fears age, wealth fears thieves, power fears critics) and that only dispassion is free of fear; then he restates Bhagavad Gita 2.14-15 on enduring pleasure and pain.
Every gain brings its own fear; holding things lightly is the way out.

Is this where you are?

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

Nearby on the map

See carelessness on the whole map

Questions people ask

What is the Sanskrit word for carelessness?

Pramāda (प्रमाद). Drift, heedlessness.

Which Bhagavad Gita verse speaks about carelessness?

Bhagavad Gita 14.8: Know tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings. It binds through heedlessness, laziness and sleep, Bharata.

How do the scriptures say to overcome carelessness?

They set resolve and discernment against it. Arise, awake. (Sanatsujatiya; Katha 1.3.14; Taittiriya 1.11) Do tomorrow's work today; Vishvamitra begins again. (Medhavin; Valmiki Bala 64)

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.