Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 39

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः ।
निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥

Transliteration

yadagre cānubandhe ca sukhaṃ mohanamātmanaḥ .
nidrālasyapramādotthaṃ tattāmasamudāhṛtam ॥

Meaning

That happiness which deludes the self both at the beginning and in the end, arising from sleep, sloth and heedlessness, is declared to be tamasic.

Word meanings

यत् – which
अग्रे – at the beginning
च – and
अनुबन्धे – in the sequel, in the end
च – also
सुखम् – happiness
मोहनम् – deluding
आत्मनः – of the self
निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थम् – arising from sleep, sloth and heedlessness
तत् – that
तामसम् – tamasic
उदाहृतम् – is declared

Anvaya (word order)

यत् सुखम् अग्रे च अनुबन्धे च आत्मनः मोहनं निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थं, तत् तामसम् उदाहृतम् ।

Explanation

Tamasic happiness is the lowest kind. Sattvic happiness is hard at first but sweet in the end; rajasic happiness is sweet at first but bitter in the end; tamasic happiness, agre chanubandhe cha — at the beginning and in the end alike — only deludes. There is no real happiness in it either at the start or at the finish. It is a kind of stupor that a person mistakes for pleasure.

Three sources are named. Nidra — sleeping far beyond need, in which one enjoys an escape from life. Alasya — the inclination to do nothing, which gives the false pleasure of avoiding duty. Pramada — heedlessness and neglect of duty, as in intoxication, hours lost in pointless entertainment, or deliberately forgetting one's responsibilities. Shankara explains pramada as failing to do what ought to be done.

Mohanam atmanah — it deludes the self, covering discernment. The person does not even realise that his life, time and abilities are being wasted. Rajasic pleasure at least has some experience and energy in it; tamasic pleasure has only inertia and forgetfulness.

Today tamasic happiness takes many forms — hours of aimless screen-watching, losing oneself in intoxicants, or seeking comfort in procrastination. The Gita warns against mistaking these for happiness, for they gradually drain life of energy and awareness.

Context

The previous two verses described sattvic and rajasic happiness. This verse describes tamasic happiness. In the next verse (18.40) Krishna states that no being in any world is free from these three gunas.

Life lesson

Aimless time-killing, laziness and intoxication are not happiness but a stupor that puts awareness to sleep. Notice how much of your day slips into such 'tamasic pleasure'. A wakeful, active life is what leads to real joy.

Key terms

Tamasic sukha: Pleasure from sleep, sloth and heedlessness, deluding from start to finish
Pramada: Heedlessness, neglect of duty
Alasya: Sloth, aversion to effort
Mohana: That which clouds discernment