VedawordA Vedic library
Search
Sign in
Mahabharata
Bhagavad-gītā (018) (Moksha-Sannyasa Yoga)6.40.29-35
5535 / 15823
Mahabharata · 6.40.29-35
॥
Devanāgarī

बुद्धेर् भेदं धृतेश् चैव गुणतस् त्रिविधं शृणु ॥
प्रोच्यमानम् अशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन धनंजय ॥
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये ॥
बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ॥
यया धर्मम् अधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यम् एव च ॥
अयथावत् प्रजानाति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसी ॥
अधर्मं धर्मम् इति या मन्यते तमसावृता ॥
सर्वार्थान् विपरीतांश् च बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसी ॥
धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः ॥
योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ॥
यया तु धर्मकामार्थान् धृत्या धारयते ऽर्जुन ॥
प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी ॥
यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं मदम् एव च ॥
न विमुञ्चति दुर्मेधा धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसी ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

buddher bhedaṃ dhṛteś caiva guṇatas trividhaṃ śṛṇu ||
procyamānam aśeṣeṇa pṛthaktvena dhanaṃjaya ||
pravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ ca kāryākārye bhayābhaye ||
bandhaṃ mokṣaṃ ca yā vetti buddhiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī ||
yayā dharmam adharmaṃ ca kāryaṃ cākāryam eva ca ||
ayathāvat prajānāti buddhiḥ sā pārtha rājasī ||
adharmaṃ dharmam iti yā manyate tamasāvṛtā ||
sarvārthān viparītāṃś ca buddhiḥ sā pārtha tāmasī ||
dhṛtyā yayā dhārayate manaḥprāṇendriyakriyāḥ ||
yogenāvyabhicāriṇyā dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī ||
yayā tu dharmakāmārthān dhṛtyā dhārayate 'rjuna ||
prasaṅgena phalākāṅkṣī dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha rājasī ||
yayā svapnaṃ bhayaṃ śokaṃ viṣādaṃ madam eva ca ||
na vimuñcati durmedhā dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha tāmasī ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
बुद्धेर् भेदं धृतेश् चैवbuddher bhedaṃ dhṛteś caivathe distinction of intellect and steadfastness; the division of understanding and resolve
गुणतस् त्रिविधं शृणुguṇatas trividhaṃ śṛṇuhear the threefold according to the gunas; hear the three kinds according to the qualities
प्रोच्यमानम् अशेषेणprocyamānam aśeṣeṇaset forth in full; explained without remainder
पृथक्त्वेन धनंजयpṛthaktvena dhanaṃjayaseparately, O Dhananjaya; individually, winner of wealth
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं चpravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ caengagement and disengagement; advance and withdrawal
कार्याकार्ये भयाभयेkāryākārye bhayābhayethe proper and improper, fear and fearlessness; duty and non-duty, danger and safety
बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्तिbandhaṃ mokṣaṃ ca yā vettithat which knows bondage and liberation; that which distinguishes fetters and moksha
बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकीbuddhiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikīthat intellect, O Partha, is sattvic; such understanding is of goodness
यया धर्मम् अधर्मं चyayā dharmam adharmaṃ caby which dharma and adharma; by which righteousness and unrighteousness
कार्यं चाकार्यम् एव चkāryaṃ cākāryam eva caand the proper and the improper; duty and non-duty
अयथावत् प्रजानातिayathāvat prajānātiunderstands wrongly; perceives incorrectly
बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसीbuddhiḥ sā pārtha rājasīthat intellect, O Partha, is rajasic; such understanding is of passion
अधर्मं धर्मम् इति याadharmaṃ dharmam iti yāwhich takes adharma for dharma; which mistakes the unrighteous for the righteous
मन्यते तमसावृताmanyate tamasāvṛtāthinks, covered by darkness; considers, enveloped by tamas
सर्वार्थान् विपरीतांश् चsarvārthān viparītāṃś caand all things reversed; all aims inverted
बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसीbuddhiḥ sā pārtha tāmasīthat intellect, O Partha, is tamasic; such understanding is dark
धृत्या यया धारयतेdhṛtyā yayā dhārayatethe steadfastness by which one sustains; the resolve through which one holds
मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाःmanaḥprāṇendriyakriyāḥthe workings of mind, life-breath, and senses; the activity of consciousness, breath, and organs
योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्याyogenāvyabhicāriṇyāthrough unwavering yoga; through unremitting concentration
धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकीdhṛtiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikīthat steadfastness, O Partha, is sattvic; such resolve is of goodness
यया तु धर्मकामार्थान्yayā tu dharmakāmārthānbut that by which dharma, desire, and gain; by which duty, pleasure, and purpose
धृत्या धारयते ऽर्जुनdhṛtyā dhārayate 'rjunaone sustains by steadfastness, Arjuna; one upholds by resolve, Arjuna
प्रसङ्गेन फलाकाङ्क्षीprasaṅgena phalākāṅkṣīout of attachment, craving the fruit; out of partiality, expecting the result
धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसीdhṛtiḥ sā pārtha rājasīthat steadfastness, O Partha, is rajasic; such resolve is of passion
यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकंyayā svapnaṃ bhayaṃ śokaṃby which sleep, fear, grief; by which one clings to drowsiness, fear, sorrow
विषादं मदम् एव चviṣādaṃ madam eva cadespondency and intoxication indeed; despair and self-deluding stupor
न विमुञ्चति दुर्मेधाna vimuñcati durmedhāthe dull-witted one does not release; a person of feeble understanding does not let go
धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसीdhṛtiḥ sā pārtha tāmasīthat steadfastness, O Partha, is tamasic; such resolve is dark
Translation

"Now hear, O Dhananjaya, the threefold distinction of intellect and steadfastness according to the gunas, which I shall set forth fully and separately. The intellect that knows engagement and disengagement, the proper and improper, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation, O Partha, is sattvic. The intellect by which a person wrongly understands dharma and adharma, the proper and improper, O Partha, is rajasic. The intellect covered by darkness, which takes adharma for dharma and sees all things reversed, O Partha, is tamasic. The steadfastness by which, through unwavering yoga, one sustains the workings of mind, life-breath, and senses, O Partha, is sattvic. The steadfastness by which, out of attachment and craving for the fruit, a person clings to dharma, desire, and gain, O Arjuna, O Partha, is rajasic. And the steadfastness by which a person of feeble understanding does not let go of sleep, fear, grief, despondency, and intoxication, O Partha, is tamasic."

Version

40530bb0bbbd · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:02:21 PM UTC

Available inRUEN
PreviousVerse 6.40.23-28

Page between verses with