What the scriptures say about resolve

What do the scriptures say about resolve?

The texts call it saṅkalpa (सङ्कल्प). A settled will. The Upanishad: a person is made of resolve (kratu). The Gita: the resolute understanding is one-pointed (2.41). They set it against a moral dilemma, guilt and carelessness.

95 verses
47 stories
Heals the mind

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Krishna

व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन । बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ॥

vyavasāyātmikā buddhirekeha kurunandana | bahuśākhā hyanantāśca buddhayo’vyavasāyinām ||

Here, Arjuna, the resolute mind is one-pointed. But the thoughts of the irresolute are many-branched and endless.

Bhagavad Gita 2.41

Resolve in the texts' own words

Verses that show it in a person, or name it outright.

Bhartrihari
रत्नैर्महार्हैस्तुतुषुर्न देवा न भेजिरे भीमविषेण भीतिम् । सुधां विना न प्रययुर्विरामं न निश्चितार्थाद्विरमन्ति धीराः ॥
ratnairmahārhaistutuṣurna devā na bhejire bhīmaviṣeṇa bhītim | sudhāṃ vinā na prayayurvirāmaṃ na niścitārthādviramanti dhīrāḥ ||
The gods were not satisfied by priceless jewels, nor frightened off by the terrible poison; they did not rest until they had the nectar. The steadfast do not stop short of what they have set out to do.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Shows a purpose held past reward and fear. our reading
Bhartrihari
निन्दन्तु नीतिनिपुणा यदि वा स्तुवन्तु लक्ष्मीः समाविशतु गच्छतु वा यथेष्टम् । अद्यैव वा मरणमस्तु युगान्तरे वा न्याय्यात्पथः प्रविचलन्ति पदं न धीराः ॥
nindantu nītinipuṇā yadi vā stuvantu lakṣmīḥ samāviśatu gacchatu vā yatheṣṭam | adyaiva vā maraṇamastu yugāntare vā nyāyyātpathaḥ pravicalanti padaṃ na dhīrāḥ ||
Let the worldly-wise blame or praise; let fortune come or go as she pleases; let death come today or ages hence: the steadfast do not move a step from the path of what is right.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Shows a decision already made about what one will not do. our reading
Savitri
न कार्यस्तात संतापः पारयिष्याम्यहं व्रतम् / व्यसंसायकृतं हीदं व्यवसायश्च कारणम्
na kāryastāta saṃtāpaḥ pārayiṣyāmyahaṃ vratam / vyasaṃsāyakṛtaṃ hīdaṃ vyavasāyaśca kāraṇam
Don't be distressed, father. I will see this vow through. It was begun with determination, and determination is what carries it to the end.
Mahabharata · Vana Parva · Vana: Savitri
Speaks from inside a decision already made. our reading
Bhartrihari
क्वचित् पृथ्वीशय्यः क्वचिदपि च पर्यङ्कशयनः क्वचिच्छाकाहारः क्वचिदपि च शाल्योदनरुचिः । क्वचित् कण्ठाधारी क्वचिदपि च दिव्याम्बरधरो मनस्वी कार्यार्थी न गणयति च दुःखं न च सुखम् ॥
kvacit pṛthvīśayyaḥ kvacidapi ca paryaṅkaśayanaḥ kvacicchākāhāraḥ kvacidapi ca śālyodanaruciḥ | kvacit kaṇṭhādhārī kvacidapi ca divyāmbaradharo manasvī kāryārthī na gaṇayati ca duḥkhaṃ na ca sukham ||
Sometimes he sleeps on the ground, sometimes on a couch; sometimes he lives on greens, sometimes on fine rice; sometimes he wears rags, sometimes heavenly garments. A person of spirit set on a purpose counts neither hardship nor comfort.
Bhartrihari · Niti Shatakam
Shows a life arranged around a goal. our reading
Krishna
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन । बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ॥
vyavasāyātmikā buddhirekeha kurunandana | bahuśākhā hyanantāśca buddhayo’vyavasāyinām ||
Here, Arjuna, the resolute mind is one-pointed. But the thoughts of the irresolute are many-branched and endless.
Bhagavad Gita 2.41
Shandilya
सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म तज्जलानिति शान्त उपासीत । अथ खलु क्रतुमयः पुरुषो यथाक्रतुरस्मिꣳल्लोके पुरुषो भवति तथेतः प्रेत्य भवति स क्रतुं कुर्वीत ॥
sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma tajjalāniti śānta upāsīta | atha khalu kratumayaḥ puruṣo yathākraturasmiꣳlloke puruṣo bhavati tathetaḥ pretya bhavati sa kratuṃ kurvīta ||
All this is Brahman; from it all arises, into it all dissolves, in it all breathes; so one should meditate on it calmly. A person is made of resolve. As one's resolve is in this world, so one becomes on departing. So let one form a resolve.
Chhandogya Upanishad 3.14.1
Seer
यज्जाग्र॑तो दू॒रमु॒दैति॒ दैवं॒ तदु॑ सु॒प्तस्य॒ तथै॒वैति॑ । दू॒रं॒ग॒मं ज्योति॑षां॒ ज्योति॒रेकं॒ तन्मे॒ मनः॑ शि॒वसं॑कल्पमस्तु ॥
yajjāgra॑to dū॒ramu॒daiti॒ daivaṃ॒ tadu॑ su॒ptasya॒ tathai॒vaiti॑ | dū॒raṃ॒ga॒maṃ jyoti॑ṣāṃ॒ jyoti॒rekaṃ॒ tanme॒ manaḥ॑ śi॒vasaṃ॑kalpamastu ||
That divine mind which travels far when we are awake and likewise when we sleep, the far-going one light among lights: may that mind of mine be of kind and good resolve.
Shiva Sankalpa Upanishad 1

How it grows, step by step

Sequences the texts state outright, in their own order.

The doubting self

Bhagavad Gita 4.40; Bhagavad Gita 4.41-42

ignorance
Doubt
destruction
knowledge
Resolve

Without knowledge and without trust, the self full of doubt is lost and there is no happiness here or hereafter. Then cut the doubt in the heart with the sword of knowledge, take your stand in yoga, and rise.

Krishna
योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसंछिन्नसंशयम् । आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ॥
yogasaṃnyastakarmāṇaṃ jñānasaṃchinnasaṃśayam | ātmavantaṃ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya ||
Actions do not bind one who has renounced action through yoga, whose doubts are cut away by knowledge, and who is self-possessed, Dhananjaya.
Bhagavad Gita 4.41
Krishna
तस्मादज्ञानसंभूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनाऽऽत्मनः । छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥
tasmādajñānasaṃbhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinā’’tmanaḥ | chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata ||
Therefore, cutting with the sword of knowledge this doubt in your heart born of ignorance, take refuge in yoga, and stand up, Bharata.
Bhagavad Gita 4.42

As your desire, so you become

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.5; 4.4.12

Craving
Resolve
action
becoming

A person is made of desire. As the desire, so the will. As the will, so the deed. As the deed, so one becomes. And one who knows the self, wanting what, for whose sake, would he fret after the body?

Yajnavalkya
अथो खल्वाहुः काममय एवायं पुरुष इति स यथाकामो भवति तत्क्रतुर्भवति यत्क्रतुर्भवति तत्कर्म कुरुते यत्कर्म कुरुते तदभिसम्पद्यते ॥
atho khalvāhuḥ kāmamaya evāyaṃ puruṣa iti sa yathākāmo bhavati tatkraturbhavati yatkraturbhavati tatkarma kurute yatkarma kurute tadabhisampadyate ||
And so they say: a person is made of desire. As his desire is, so is his will; as his will is, so is his deed; and whatever deed he does, that he becomes.
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.5
Yajnavalkya
आत्मानं चेद्विजानीयादयमस्मीति पूरुषः किमिच्छन्कस्य कामाय शरीरमनुसञ्ज्वरेत् ॥
ātmānaṃ cedvijānīyādayamasmīti pūruṣaḥ kimicchankasya kāmāya śarīramanusañjvaret ||
If a person knew the self as 'I am this', then wanting what, and for whose sake, would he fret after the body?
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.12

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

A person is made of resolve

Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.1

Resolve
becoming

A person is made of resolve. As one's resolve is in this world, so one becomes. One should form one's resolve.

Shandilya
सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म तज्जलानिति शान्त उपासीत । अथ खलु क्रतुमयः पुरुषो यथाक्रतुरस्मिꣳल्लोके पुरुषो भवति तथेतः प्रेत्य भवति स क्रतुं कुर्वीत ॥
sarvaṃ khalvidaṃ brahma tajjalāniti śānta upāsīta | atha khalu kratumayaḥ puruṣo yathākraturasmiꣳlloke puruṣo bhavati tathetaḥ pretya bhavati sa kratuṃ kurvīta ||
All this is Brahman; from it all arises, into it all dissolves, in it all breathes; so one should meditate on it calmly. A person is made of resolve. As one's resolve is in this world, so one becomes on departing. So let one form a resolve.
Chhandogya Upanishad 3.14.1

What it heals

The states the texts set it against.

A moral dilemma Guilt Carelessness Doubt

Practices that grow resolve

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
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
Dharmavyadha (the righteous meat-seller)
विकर्मणा तप्यमानः पापाद्विपरिमुच्यते / न तत्कुर्यां पुनरिति द्वितीयात्परिमुच्यते
vikarmaṇā tapyamānaḥ pāpādviparimucyate / na tatkuryāṃ punariti dvitīyātparimucyate
One who feels remorse for a wrong deed is freed from that wrong; by resolving 'I will not do it again', he is freed from the second.
Mahabharata · Vana Parva · Vyadha Gita
Shows the vow 'not again' is the second release. our reading
Gandhari
आत्मानमेव प्रथमं द्वेष्यरूपेण योजयेत् / ततोऽमात्यानमित्रांश्च न मोघं विजिगीषते
ātmānameva prathamaṃ dveṣyarūpeṇa yojayet / tato’mātyānamitrāṃśca na moghaṃ vijigīṣate
First take your own self in hand, as you would an opponent. Then you won't fail to win over your advisers and your rivals.
Mahabharata · Udyoga Parva · Udyoga: Krishna's peace embassy
Shows self-rule as a campaign. our reading
Vidura
निश्चित्य यः प्रक्रमते नान्तर्वसति कर्मणः / अवन्ध्यकालो वश्यात्मा स वै पण्डित उच्यते
niścitya yaḥ prakramate nāntarvasati karmaṇaḥ / avandhyakālo vaśyātmā sa vai paṇḍita ucyate
One who begins only after deciding, does not stop halfway through the work, does not waste time and keeps himself in hand, is called wise.
Mahabharata · Udyoga Parva · Vidura Niti
Begins from a settled decision. our reading
Narrator
देखी बिपुल बिकल बैदेही। निमिष बिहात कलप सम तेही। तृषित बारि बिनु जो तनु त्यागा। मुएँ करइ का सुधा तड़ागा ॥ का बरषा सब कृषी सुखानें। समय चुकें पुनि का पछितानें॥ अस जियँ जानि जानकी देखी। प्रभु पुलके लखि प्रीति बिसेषी ॥
dekhī bipul bikal baidehī| nimiṣ bihāt kalap sam tehī| tṛṣit bāri binu jo tanu tyāgā| mueṁ karai kā sudhā taṛāgā || kā baraṣā sab kṛṣī sukhāneṃ| samay cukeṃ puni kā pachitāneṃ|| as jiyaṁ jāni jānakī dekhī| prabhu pulake lakhi prīti biseṣī ||
He saw Vaidehi in deep distress, each moment passing like an age. If a thirsty man dies for want of water, what use is a lake of nectar after he is gone? What use is rain when the crops have dried? What use is regret once the moment has passed? Knowing this, he looked at Janaki, and seeing her deep love, he thrilled.
Ramcharitmanas · Bal Kand
Shows the closing moment itself becoming the reason to move now. our reading

People who lived it

Someone in the scriptures came to this, and the story shows how.

From the Gita
Mastering the mind
Arjuna says the mind is restless, stormy and stubborn. Krishna agrees, and says practice and letting go can train it.
The mind is hard to hold, but practice and letting go train it.
From the Gita
Restraining desire
Arjuna asks why we do wrong as if forced. Krishna names desire, which turns into anger, as the enemy that clouds wisdom like smoke over fire, and tells him to master it.
Desire unmet becomes anger; see it clearly and you can master it.
From the Gita
The glory of the Gita
Krishna asks if Arjuna's confusion is gone; Arjuna says yes and that he will act. Sanjaya rejoices and declares that where Krishna and Arjuna stand, victory follows.
Clarity, once found, turns into action.
From the Mahabharata
Krishna's peace embassy to the Kauravas
Krishna travels to Hastinapura to plead for peace between the cousins. Elders, sages and finally Gandhari urge Duryodhana to share the kingdom; he refuses, even plotting to seize Krishna, and war becomes certain.
You can make the best case for peace and still be refused. Speak anyway.

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

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Questions people ask

What is the Sanskrit word for resolve?

Saṅkalpa (सङ्कल्प). Resolve.

Which Bhagavad Gita verse speaks about resolve?

Bhagavad Gita 2.41: Here, Arjuna, the resolute mind is one-pointed. But the thoughts of the irresolute are many-branched and endless.

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.