Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 43

Chapter 3 – Karma Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना ।
जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् ॥

Transliteration

evaṃ buddheḥ paraṃ buddhvā saṃstabhyātmānamātmanā .
jahi śatruṃ mahābāho kāmarūpaṃ durāsadam ॥

Meaning

Thus, knowing the Self to be beyond the intellect, steadying the mind by the intellect, O mighty-armed, slay this enemy in the form of desire, so hard to overcome.

Word meanings

एवम् – thus
बुद्धेः – than the intellect
परम् – beyond (the Self)
बुद्ध्वा – having known
संस्तभ्य – steadying
आत्मानम् – the mind
आत्मना – by the self (discrimination)
जहि – slay
शत्रुम् – the enemy
महाबाहो – O mighty-armed
कामरूपम् – in the form of desire
दुरासदम् – hard to overcome

Anvaya (word order)

महाबाहो, एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा, आत्मना आत्मानं संस्तभ्य, कामरूपं दुरासदं शत्रुं जहि ।

Explanation

This is the closing verse of the third chapter, and it gathers the whole path into a single command. "Thus knowing the Self to be higher than the intellect, steadying the self by the Self, slay, O mighty-armed, the enemy in the form of desire, so hard to approach." Everything from verse 3.42 onward leads here: the senses are subtle, higher than them is the mind, higher than the mind is the intellect, and higher than the intellect is the Self.

The phrase "atmanam atmana samstabhya" is the heart of the verse: steadying the lower self by the higher Self. It means that the part of us that can be disturbed by cravings should be held firm by the part of us that is calm, discerning and rooted in truth. We are not asked to find an outside saviour first, nor to wage war on our nature, but to remember who we really are and let that remembrance steady the wavering mind.

Shankara explains this as discriminating the Self from the intellect through knowledge learned from the scriptures and the teacher, and then steadying the mind by the Self, i.e. by the clear understanding that the Self is free, so that the enemy of desire is destroyed. Ramanuja explains that one should know the Self as higher than the intellect, fix the mind firmly on it, and so conquer the passion that has been strengthening in the mind. Madhva understands the higher reality as the Lord and stresses reliance on His grace in overcoming the foe.

The description "durasadam", hard to approach, or difficult to get hold of, is honest. Desire is slippery. It disguises itself as need, love, duty or fun. It hides when we look and returns when we look away. That is why the Lord insists on a methodical, patient and well-founded effort, not a burst of will that fades after a few days.

In everyday terms, the verse suggests a ladder of inner work: control the senses by regulation of what we expose ourselves to; steady the mind with practice such as prayer, breath and reflection; strengthen the intellect through study and discrimination; and above all keep faith in the Self within, which is already free. Chapter 6 develops the same theme in 6.5 and 6.6, where the Self is both friend and foe of oneself. Having finished this chapter, we are ready for chapter 4, where the Lord explains the origin of this knowledge.

Context

This is the last verse of Chapter 3. Having identified the enemy in 3.37–3.42, shown its coverings and dwellings and the supremacy of the Self, the Lord gives the decisive command to conquer. The next chapter will explain the relation of knowledge and action more deeply.

Life lesson

First recall your true nature, then steady the mind with discrimination, and then face your desires. After the inner victory every outer duty becomes easy and fearless.

Key terms

Samstambhana: steadying firmly
Durasada: extremely hard to conquer
Kama-rupa shatru: the inner enemy hidden in the form of desire