Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5, Verse 23

Chapter 5 – Karma Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात् ।
कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः ॥

Transliteration

śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṃ prākśarīravimokṣaṇāt .
kāmakrodhodbhavaṃ vegaṃ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ ॥

Meaning

One who is able, right here before release from the body, to withstand the surge arising from desire and anger is a Yogi, he is a happy man.

Word meanings

शक्नोति – is able
इह एव – right here, in this life
यः – who
सोढुम् – to withstand
प्राक् – before
शरीरविमोक्षणात् – before the release from the body
कामक्रोधोद्भवम् – arising from desire and anger
वेगम् – the impulse, surge
सः – he
युक्तः – a Yogi, balanced
सः – he
सुखी – happy
नरः – man

Anvaya (word order)

यः इह एव शरीरविमोक्षणात् प्राक् कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं सोढुं शक्नोति, सः युक्तः, सः सुखी नरः ।

Explanation

This verse gives a direct, practical test. In Chapter 3 the Lord named desire and anger as the greatest enemies; here their wave is called ‘vega’, a surge. The surge rises suddenly like a river in spate and sweeps a person away. One who can withstand it, not coming under its sway, is ‘yukta’ and ‘sukhi’.

‘Prak sharira-vimokshanat’ — before release from the body. The phrase shows that the test of practice is not after death but while living. Up to the last moment of life the caution remains to beware of these surges, for they can rise at any age. Shankara explains that one who has become skilled in bearing these surges before death is a true yogi. Ramanuja takes it as the accomplishment of sense-conquest within one's lifetime.

‘Bearing’ does not mean suppressing but watching the rising surge and not acting on it. When we recognise a wave of anger or desire and let it pass without reacting, it calms of itself.

Such a person is happy in the true sense, since his happiness does not rest on circumstances or the waves of impulse.

Context

Verse 5.22 showed the transience of sense pleasures. Verse 5.23, along with that, praises one who can bear the surge of desire and anger. Verse 5.24 will describe the yogi who finds happiness within.

Life lesson

When a wave of anger or intense desire rises, do not react at once. Watch it for some moments; to bear the surge is true strength and the key to happiness.

Key terms

Vega: the strong surge of desire and anger
Sharira-vimokshana: release from the body, death
Yukta: established in Yoga, balanced