Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 65

Chapter 2 – Sankhya Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

प्रसादे सर्वदुःखानां हानिरस्योपजायते ।
प्रसन्नचेतसो ह्याशु बुद्धिः पर्यवतिष्ठते ॥

Transliteration

prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate .
prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate ॥

Meaning

In that serenity, all his sorrows come to an end; for the intellect of one whose mind is serene soon becomes firmly established.

Word meanings

प्रसादे – in serenity, when clarity is attained
सर्वदुःखानाम् – of all sorrows
हानिः – destruction, ending
अस्य – his
उपजायते – comes about
प्रसन्नचेतसः – of one whose mind is serene
हि – for
आशु – soon, quickly
बुद्धिः – the intellect
पर्यवतिष्ठते – becomes firmly and fully established

Anvaya (word order)

प्रसादे (सति) अस्य सर्वदुःखानां हानिः उपजायते; हि प्रसन्नचेतसः बुद्धिः आशु पर्यवतिष्ठते ।

Explanation

The previous verse said that one who moves among objects free from attraction and aversion attains ‘prasada’. Now Krishna describes two great fruits of that serenity: first, the end of all sorrow; second, the swift and complete steadiness of the intellect. Standing in exact contrast to the ladder of downfall (2.62–63), this verse shows the summit of the ladder of ascent.

The first fruit is ‘sarva-duhkhanam hanih’ — the destruction of all sorrows. This is a mighty promise. Note that Krishna does not say adverse circumstances will stop coming. Illness may still come to the body; loss may still happen in the world. But the real seat of sorrow is the mind, not the circumstance. When the mind is clear and free of attraction and aversion, circumstances can no longer wound it — just as dust may blow through a clear sky without staining the sky. Shankara notes that ‘sorrow’ here includes all three kinds — from oneself, from other beings and from natural forces.

The second fruit is ‘prasanna-chetaso hy ashu buddhih paryavatishthate’ — the intellect of the serene-minded soon becomes established. ‘Pari-ava-tishthate’ means to become fully and firmly settled, withdrawn from every side. Shankara explains that the intellect becomes motionless like space and abides in the Self alone. And ‘ashu’ — quickly. In a clear mind the intellect needs no long time to settle, just as the moon's reflection appears at once in still water.

A beautiful cycle of cause and effect appears here: sense-control brings serenity; serenity brings the end of sorrow and steadiness of intellect; and a steady intellect deepens self-control further. Just as on the ladder of downfall one fault gave birth to the next, on the ladder of ascent one virtue strengthens the next.

In practical life this means that clear thinking and sound decisions require a calm mind first. Decisions taken in excitement, anxiety or frustration usually go wrong. When we bring clarity within, solutions begin to appear by themselves.

Context

Verse 2.64 said that one who moves among objects with controlled senses attains prasada. This verse describes the fruits of that serenity — the end of sorrow and the steadiness of the intellect. In the next verse (2.66) Krishna shows the reverse: the undisciplined gain neither insight, nor peace, nor happiness.

Life lesson

The root of sorrow is not the situation but the mind. First make the mind clear and calm; in a calm mind the intellect becomes clear by itself, and right decisions come naturally.

Key terms

Prasada: clarity and serene gladness of mind
Prasanna-chetas: one whose mind is clear and serene
Paryavasthana: the intellect becoming fully and firmly settled