A declaration · reflective in mood · a little context helps
“What feels sweetest first can become the harshest later.”
The pleasure that begins like nectar from contact between the senses and their objects, but ends like poison, is called rajasic pleasure.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
Read literallyfrom contact of senses and objects · which · that · at first · like nectar · in the end · like poison · that · pleasure · rajasic · is said to be
Pleasures that come from sensory contact can feel wonderful at first, but they often leave pain, restlessness, or disappointment afterward.
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Moksha Sanyasa Yoga" (Liberation through Renunciation).
Verse 38 sits in Chapter 18 of the Bhagavad Gita — Moksha Sanyasa Yoga, "Liberation through Renunciation". The chapter has 78 verses in total.
At a wedding buffet, the third plate of jalebis tastes wonderful, and the night afterwards is miserable. Krishna's rajasic pleasure follows that arc: sweet when the senses meet their object, bitter once it is over.
Did you like this verse?
Rajasic pleasure comes from the senses meeting their objects: nectar at first, poison in the end.
What this verse means
Pleasures that come from sensory contact can feel wonderful at first, but they often leave pain, restlessness, or disappointment afterward.
Context & commentary
After describing higher, steadier joy, Krishna now names the kind that comes from sense contact: exciting at first, damaging later.
What it looks like today
At a wedding buffet, the third plate of jalebis tastes wonderful, and the night afterwards is miserable. Krishna's rajasic pleasure follows that arc: sweet when the senses meet their object, bitter once it is over.
“Not every pleasure is worth trusting. Some delights borrow their sweetness from the future.”
Explore related themes: sattva (26 verses), tamas (18 verses)