Endowed with purified understanding, holding the self steady with firm resolve, giving up sense-objects, and casting away attraction and aversion...
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 18.51
Hindi · हिन्दी
जो विशुद्ध सात्त्विकी बुद्धिसे युक्त, वैराग्यके आश्रित, एकान्तका सेवन करनेवाला और नियमित भोजन करनेवाला साधक धैर्यपूर्वक इन्द्रियोंका नियमन करके, शरीरवाणीमनको वशमें करके, शब्दादि विषयोंका त्याग करके और रागद्वेषको छोड़कर निरन्तर ध्यानयोगके परायण हो जाता है, वह अहंकार, बल, दर्प, काम, क्रोध और परिग्रहका त्याग करके एवं निर्मम तथा शान्त होकर ब्रह्मप्राप्तिका पात्र हो जाता है ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
बुद्ध्याwith understandingविशुद्धयाpurifiedयुक्तःendowedधृत्याwith firmnessआत्मानम्the selfनियम्यhaving restrainedचandशब्दादीन्sound and so onविषयान्sense-objectsत्यक्त्वाhaving abandonedराग-द्वेषौattraction and aversionव्युदस्यhaving cast awayचand
Read literallywith understanding · purified · endowed · with firmness · the self · having restrained · and · sound and so on · sense-objects · having abandoned · attraction and aversion · having cast away · and
Understanding the verse
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Pure intellect, firm self-control, sense objects let go, attraction and aversion dropped: Krishna begins the path to Brahman.
A person with clear understanding steadies the mind, restrains the senses, gives up sense pleasures, and drops attraction and aversion.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
Arjuna still needs a way back to inner steadiness. Krishna explains the discipline of one who wants Brahman: purified understanding, firm resolve, restraint of the senses, and release from craving and aversion.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
During the Navratri fast, a woman notices how often her mind drifts to the food she has given up. Krishna's discipline here asks for firm resolve and a steady letting go of attraction and aversion, one pull at a time.
The takeaway
“Freedom starts when impulse no longer runs the show.”
A person with clear understanding steadies the mind, restrains the senses, gives up sense pleasures, and drops attraction and aversion.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 18.51?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Moksha Sanyasa Yoga" (Liberation through Renunciation).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 18.51?
Verse 51 sits in Chapter 18 of the Bhagavad Gita — Moksha Sanyasa Yoga, "Liberation through Renunciation". The chapter has 78 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 18.51 matter today?
During the Navratri fast, a woman notices how often her mind drifts to the food she has given up. Krishna's discipline here asks for firm resolve and a steady letting go of attraction and aversion, one pull at a time.
Pure intellect, firm self-control, sense objects let go, attraction and aversion dropped: Krishna begins the path to Brahman.
What this verse means
A person with clear understanding steadies the mind, restrains the senses, gives up sense pleasures, and drops attraction and aversion.
Context & commentary
Arjuna still needs a way back to inner steadiness. Krishna explains the discipline of one who wants Brahman: purified understanding, firm resolve, restraint of the senses, and release from craving and aversion.
What it looks like today
During the Navratri fast, a woman notices how often her mind drifts to the food she has given up. Krishna's discipline here asks for firm resolve and a steady letting go of attraction and aversion, one pull at a time.
“Freedom starts when impulse no longer runs the show.”
Explore related themes: vairagya (51 verses), buddhi (26 verses), indriya nigraha (14 verses)