Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 51

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो धृत्यात्मानं नियम्य च ।
शब्दादीन्विषयांस्त्यक्त्वा रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च ॥

Transliteration

buddhyā viśuddhayā yukto dhṛtyātmānaṃ niyamya ca .
śabdādīnviṣayāṃstyaktvā rāgadveṣau vyudasya ca ॥

Meaning

Endowed with a purified intellect, restraining the mind with firmness, turning away from sound and the other objects of the senses, and casting aside attraction and aversion —

Word meanings

बुद्ध्या – with an intellect
विशुद्धया – purified
युक्तः – endowed
धृत्या – with fortitude
आत्मानम् – the mind, oneself
नियम्य – restraining
च – and
शब्दादीन् – sound and the rest
विषयान् – sense objects
त्यक्त्वा – relinquishing
रागद्वेषौ – attraction and aversion
व्युदस्य – casting aside
च – and

Anvaya (word order)

विशुद्धया बुद्ध्या युक्तः, धृत्या आत्मानं नियम्य च, शब्दादीन् विषयान् त्यक्त्वा, रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च —

Explanation

Verses 51 to 53 form a single sentence, completed at the end of 53 with brahma-bhuyaya kalpate — 'becomes fit for oneness with Brahman'. These three verses paint a beautiful picture of the daily life and inner state of one approaching Brahman. They are a concise essence of the yoga of meditation taught in Chapter 6.

The first means is buddhya vishuddhaya yuktah — being endowed with a purified intellect. This is the sattvic intellect described in 18.30, which clearly knows duty and non-duty, bondage and liberation. Shankara describes it as an intellect free from doubt and misapprehension. The second is dhrityatmanam niyamya — restraining the mind by fortitude; this is the sattvic fortitude of 18.33. Thus the purpose of the earlier analysis of the gunas becomes clear here: sattvic intellect and sattvic fortitude are the very means to Brahman.

The third is shabdadin vishayams tyaktva — relinquishing the five sense objects: sound, touch, form, taste and smell. This does not mean the seeker hears or sees nothing; it means he does not entangle himself in sense objects beyond what is needed to sustain the body, and does not cling to what comes.

The fourth is raga-dveshau vyudasya — casting off attraction and aversion. These two are the roots of the mind's restlessness. In Chapter 3 (3.34) Krishna said that attraction and aversion lie hidden in every sense object and are the robbers on the seeker's path. As long as they remain, meditation cannot become steady.

Context

In the previous verse Krishna offered to explain briefly how Brahman is attained. This verse begins the list of means, which continues through the next two verses (18.52–53) and concludes in 18.53 with 'becomes fit for oneness with Brahman'.

Life lesson

A clear intellect and a steady mind are the two foundations of spiritual life. Keep sense objects within the limits of need, and do not cling to what comes your way. Stepping off the swing of likes and dislikes is the first step to peace.

Key terms

Vishuddha buddhi: A purified intellect free from doubt and error
Dhriti: Fortitude that keeps the mind under control
Shabdadi vishaya: Sound, touch, form, taste, smell — the sense objects
Raga-dvesha: Attraction and aversion