What is night for all beings is wakefulness for the self-controlled one. What all beings wake toward is night for the seer who knows the real.
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 2.69
Hindi · हिन्दी
सम्पूर्ण प्राणियों की जो रात परमात्मासे विमुखता है, उसमें संयमी मनुष्य जागता है, और जिसमें सब प्राणी जागते हैं भोग और संग्रहमें लगे रहते हैं, वह तत्त्वको जाननेवाले मुनिकी दृष्टिमें रात है ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
याthatनिशाnightसर्वभूतानांof all beingsतस्याम्in thatजागर्तिis awakeसंयमीthe self-controlled oneयस्याम्in whichजाग्रतिare awakeभूतानिbeingsसाthatनिशाnightपश्यतःof the seerमुनेःof the sage
Read literallythat · night · of all beings · in that · is awake · the self-controlled one · in which · are awake · beings · that · night · of the seer · of the sage
Understanding the verse
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What is night for everyone is waking for the sage, and the world's waking is his night.
Ordinary people chase pleasure and possessions, but the disciplined seeker sees through that pull. What seems valuable to most becomes empty to the one who knows the real.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
Krishna explains that the wise move by something other than the cravings that drive everyone else. The world's obsession is their darkness; inner clarity is their wakefulness.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
At a festival sale the whole street is buying, comparing and showing off. One woman walks through calmly, buys what she came for and goes home; the frenzy simply looks dim to her.
The takeaway
“You can stop measuring life by what the crowd wants and begin seeing what actually matters.”
Ordinary people chase pleasure and possessions, but the disciplined seeker sees through that pull. What seems valuable to most becomes empty to the one who knows the real.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 2.69?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Sankhya Yoga" (The Yoga of Knowledge).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 2.69?
Verse 69 sits in Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita — Sankhya Yoga, "The Yoga of Knowledge". The chapter has 72 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 2.69 matter today?
At a festival sale the whole street is buying, comparing and showing off. One woman walks through calmly, buys what she came for and goes home; the frenzy simply looks dim to her.
What is night for everyone is waking for the sage, and the world's waking is his night.
What this verse means
Ordinary people chase pleasure and possessions, but the disciplined seeker sees through that pull. What seems valuable to most becomes empty to the one who knows the real.
Context & commentary
Krishna explains that the wise move by something other than the cravings that drive everyone else. The world's obsession is their darkness; inner clarity is their wakefulness.
What it looks like today
At a festival sale the whole street is buying, comparing and showing off. One woman walks through calmly, buys what she came for and goes home; the frenzy simply looks dim to her.
“You can stop measuring life by what the crowd wants and begin seeing what actually matters.”
Explore related themes: vairagya (51 verses)