In Bhagavad Gita 18.51, Krishna describes one endowed with a purified intellect, controlling the self with firmness, giving up sense objects such as sound, and casting aside attraction and aversion,
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो
धृत्यात्मानं नियम्य च
शब्दादीन्विषयांस्त्यक्त्वा
रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च ॥ १८-५१ ॥
buddhyā viśuddhayā yukto
dhṛtyātmānaṃ niyamya ca
śabdādīnviṣayāṃstyaktvā
rāgadveṣau vyudasya ca
English transliteration buddhyaa vishuddhayaa yukto
dhrityaatmaanam niyamya cha
shabdaadeenvishayaamstyaktvaa
raagadveshau vyudasya cha ॥ 18.51 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Endowed with a purified intellect, controlling the self with firmness, turning away from sound and the other objects of the senses, and casting aside attraction and aversion,
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| बुद्ध्या buddhyā | with an intellect |
| विशुद्धया viśuddhayā | purified |
| युक्तः yuktaḥ | endowed |
| धृत्या dhṛtyā | with firmness |
| आत्मानम् ātmānam | the self |
| नियम्य niyamya | controlling |
| च ca | and |
| शब्दादीन् śabdādīn | sound and the others śabda (sound) + ādīn (and the others) |
| विषयान् viṣayān | objects of the senses |
| त्यक्त्वा tyaktvā | turning away |
| रागद्वेषौ rāgadveṣau | attraction and aversion rāga (attraction) + dveṣau (aversion) |
| व्युदस्य vyudasya | casting aside |
| च ca | and |
Word-wise Chanting
- bud–dhyā vi–śud–dha–yā yuk–to 8 syllables bud-dhyaa vi-shud-dha-yaa yuk-to
- dhṛt–yāt–mā–naṃ ni–yam–ya ca | 8 syllables dhrit-yaat-maa-nam ni-yam-ya cha
- śab–dā–dīn–vi–ṣa–yāṃs–tyak–tvā 8 syllables shab-daa-deen-vi-sha-yaams-tyak-tvaa
- rā–gad–ve–ṣau vyu–das–ya ca || 18-51 8 syllables raa-gad-ve-shau vyu-das-ya cha
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 18 Verse 51
Context
Krishna describes the path to Brahman (18.50–18.55); the sentence continues to 18.53.
Meaning
The seeker has a viśuddha buddhi, purified intellect; controls the mind with dhṛti, steadiness; withdraws from sense objects like śabda, sound; and lets go of rāga and dveṣa, attraction and aversion.
These are the inner disciplines that prepare for realisation.
In Practice
Spend time today in quiet, letting go of both attraction and aversion as they arise.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 18: Moksha Sannyasa Yoga (Liberation and Renunciation). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.