यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम् ।
तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम् ॥
तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
हे भरतवंशियोंमें श्रेष्ठ अर्जुन अब तीन प्रकारके सुखको भी तुम मेरेसे सुनो । जिसमें अभ्याससे रमण होता है और जिससे दुःखोंका अन्त हो जाता है, ऐसा वह परमात्मविषयक बुद्धिकी प्रसन्नतासे पैदा होनेवाला जो सुख सांसारिक आसक्तिके कारण आरम्भमें विषकी तरह और परिणाममें अमृतकी तरह होता है, वह सुख सात्त्विक कहा गया है ॥
English
That happiness is called sattvic, which seems like poison at first and like nectar in the end, born from clarity of the discerning mind and the peace of inner understanding.
What this verse means
A calm, clear happiness may feel difficult at first, but it ends in deep relief. It comes from a mind that sees clearly and settles inwardly.
Context & commentary
On the Kurukshetra battlefield, Arjuna is frozen between duty and grief. Krishna now distinguishes the three kinds of happiness, showing that the highest one begins with discipline and inner clarity, even if it feels bitter before it ripens.
Why this verse still matters
You start therapy, meditation, or a hard conversation and feel worse before you feel better. The discomfort is not a sign of failure; it may be the beginning of real ease.
The takeaway
What feels hard now may be the very thing that brings lasting ease.
Word-by-word translation
यत् (which) / तत् (that) / अग्रे (at first) / विष-इव (like poison) / परिणामे (in the end) / अमृत-उपमम् (like nectar) / तत् (that) / सुखम् (happiness) / सात्त्विकम् (sattvic) / प्रोक्तम् (is said) / आत्म-बुद्धि-प्रसाद-जम् (born from the peace of self-understanding)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18: Moksha Sanyasa Yoga — Liberation through Renunciation, which contains 78 verses.