Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 4

English Translation

Intelligence, wisdom, non-delusion, forgiveness, truth, control of the external organs, control of the internal organs, happiness, sorrow, birth, death and fear as also fearlessness;

Detailed Commentary

Explanation—'Buddhi' means that mental faculty which makes decisions for a particular objective. 'Jñānam' is discernment (viveka), which is the understanding of right and wrong, appropriate and inappropriate, duty and non-duty. This discernment is a gift from Bhagavān. 'Asammohaḥ' means to be free from the feeling of 'I' and 'mine,' even while knowing the transience of the world. 'Kṣamā' means to tolerate even the greatest offense and to have the thought of not letting the offender be punished. 'Satya' means, for the attainment of the Ultimate Truth, to speak exactly what has been seen and heard, without any self-interest. 'Damaḥ and Śamaḥ' are controlling the senses and freeing the mind from worldly thoughts. 'Sukhaṁ Duḥkham' means happiness and unhappiness according to the favorability and unfavorability of the body and mind. 'Bhāvo'bhāvaḥ' means the coming into being and ceasing to be of objects. 'Bhayaṁ Cābhayam-eva Ca' implies that fear arises from bad conduct and fearlessness from good conduct. 'Ahiṁsā' is not causing harm to anyone through body, mind, or speech. 'Samatā' means remaining equipoised in favorable and unfavorable circumstances. 'Tuṣṭi' means to be content even with little. 'Tapaḥ' means to endure circumstances during the performance of duty. Observance of Ekādaśī fasts, etc., is also Tapas. 'Dānam' means giving a part of one's pure earnings without any desire for reciprocation. 'Yaśo'yaśaḥ' means fame (yaśaḥ) from good conduct and infamy (ayaśaḥ) from bad conduct. These states (bhāvas) of beings are from Bhagavān alone. The implication is that their power, support, and illumination are received from Bhagavān only. Whatever happens in the world is Bhagavān's Līlā (divine play). Beings, by understanding Bhagavān as the root of these various states, attain unwavering Yoga. Here, among the twenty states of beings, some are solitary and some are contradictory. Among these, Sukha (happiness), Duḥkha (suffering), and Bhaya (fear) are the fruits of human folly, which they can overcome. Humanity should perceive the world as a form of Bhagavān. Whether it is pain or pleasure, everything is Bhagavān's Līlā. Just like the Rāmāyaṇa, which has various parts, the world is also a form of Bhagavān. A devotee's vision should always be on Bhagavān, because at the root of all these is only the one Paramātman element.