MindKshetraby LogitsLab
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Bhagavad Gita · 2.38 · Transcendental Knowledge·38 of 72

सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि

sukha-duḥkhe same kṛitvā lābhālābhau jayājayau

tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṁ pāpam avāpsyasi

Sanskrit recitation

Duty when you are afraid · 2.31–2.38 · Teaching

Translation

Having made pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat equal, engage in battle for the sake of battle; thus, you shall not incur sin.

Meaning

This is the Yoga of equanimity or the doctrine of poise in action. If anyone does any action with the above mental attitude or balanced state of mind he will not reap the fruits of his action. Such an action will lead to the purification of his heart and freedom from birth and death. One has to develop such a balanced state of mind through continous struggle and vigilant efforts.

After Swami Sivananda

Duty when you are afraid· 2.31–2.38

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

Word-by-word
na
never
evam
thus
sukha
happiness
pāpam
sin
tataḥ
thereafter
duḥkhe
in distress
yujyasva
engage
yuddhāya
for fighting
avāpsyasi
shall incur
jaya-ajayau
victory and defeat
same kṛitvā
treating alike
lābha-alābhau
gain and loss

Related verses

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