Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 5

Chapter 10 – Vibhuti Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयशः ।
भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः ॥

Transliteration

ahiṃsā samatā tuṣṭistapo dānaṃ yaśo.ayaśaḥ .
bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṃ matta eva pṛthagvidhāḥ ॥

Meaning

Non-violence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame and infamy: these diverse states of beings arise from Me alone.

Word meanings

अहिंसा – non-violence
समता – equanimity, even-mindedness
तुष्टिः – contentment
तपः – austerity
दानम् – charity
यशः – fame
अयशः – infamy
भवन्ति – arise
भावाः – states, qualities
भूतानाम् – of beings
मत्तः – from Me
एव – alone
पृथग्विधाः – of various kinds

Anvaya (word order)

अहिंसा, समता, तुष्टिः, तपः, दानं, यशः, अयशः — (एवं) भूतानां पृथग्विधाः भावाः मत्तः एव भवन्ति ।

Explanation

The list begun in verse 4 is completed here. Ahimsa is not causing harm to any being in thought, word or deed; it is the root of Indian ethics. Samata is equanimity, balance of mind in pleasure and pain, gain and loss, friend and foe, and seeing all beings with an equal eye. Tushti is contentment with what one has, free from craving for more.

Tapas is discipline of body, speech and mind, described at length in chapter 17. Dana is giving to others according to one’s capacity. Yasha and ayasha are the good name that comes from good deeds and the ill repute that comes from wrong ones. Shankara explains that fame arises from dharma and infamy from adharma, and both reach beings according to their actions through the Lord’s order.

‘These various states of beings arise from Me alone.’ The word eva, ‘alone’, is emphatic. Ramanuja says that all these states, which drive beings towards action or away from it, operate by the Lord’s will. Thus He governs not only the outer bodies of creatures but their inner world of thought and feeling.

There is a lovely practice of contemplation based on these two verses. Whenever a quality such as non-violence, forgiveness, contentment or truthfulness arises in the mind, regard it as a sign of the Lord’s presence. In this way our own mind becomes a means of remembering Him.

Context

The list of inner states begun in verse 4 concludes here. In the next verse Krishna explains that the seven great sages, the four elder sages and the Manus, from whom all creatures descend, were born from His mind.

Life lesson

Non-violence, equanimity, contentment, discipline and generosity are rays of divine light; let them grow in your life. And do not swing into elation or despair at fame or blame, since both come through the same order according to our deeds.

Key terms

Ahimsa: non-violence in thought, word and deed
Samata: evenness of mind in all conditions
Tushti: contentment
Tapas: discipline of body, speech and mind
Yasha-ayasha: fame and infamy