MindKshetraby LogitsLab
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Bhagavad Gita · 18.37 · Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender·37 of 78

यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम्तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम्

yat tad agre viṣam iva pariṇāme 'mṛtopamam tat

sukhaṁ sāttvikaṁ proktam ātma-buddhi-prasāda-jam

Sanskrit recitation

Knowledge, work, and the worker · 18.29–18.40 · Teaching

Translation

That which is like poison at first but in the end like nectar—that happiness is declared to be sattvic, born of the purity of one's own mind due to self-realization.

Meaning

Agree vishma iva In the beginning it is attended with much pain as one has to abandon the sensual objects and comforts and practise severe austerities and rigorous Sadhana. He has to undergo a severe ordeal when he practises Yama, Niyama, Tapas and various other vows. He has to cultivate dispassion or indifference to sensual pleasures. This gives him much pain at first. The practice of concentration and meditation also gives pain the beginning. Subjugation of the senses is also very troublesome. Nux vomica is very bitter. One feels much discomfort when he takes a mixture that contains nux vomica. But he derives much pleasure in the end when he gets vigour and good appetite and when his dyspepsia is cured. Even so the aspirant drinks the nectar of immortality in the end, attains the highest knowledge, rejoices in the,Self to his hearts content and enjoys supreme peace and eternal bliss.Proktam It is declared by the wise.Atmabuddhiprasadajam Born as purity of ones own intellect or born of the direct, perfect and clear knowledge of Brahman or the immortal, selfluminous, eternal and supreme Self or the Absolute. The individual self experiences Sattvic happiness when it realises union with the highest Self.The pleasure so born is Sattvic. (Cf.VI.1,2)

After Swami Sivananda

Knowledge, work, and the worker· 18.29–18.40

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

Word-by-word
tat
that
yat
that which
agre
in the beginning
ātma
self
buddhi
intelligence
sukham
happiness
upamam
compared to
amṛta
nectar
proktam
is said
sāttvikam
in the mode of goodness
pariṇāme
at the end
prasāda-jam
satisfactory.
viṣam iva
like poison

Related verses

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