In Bhagavad Gita 2.14, Krishna teaches that sense contacts bring cold and heat, pleasure and pain, which come and go, and asks Arjuna to endure them patiently.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय
शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः
आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्
तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥ २-१४ ॥
mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya
śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ
āgamāpāyino’nityās
tāṃstitikṣasva bhārata
English transliteration maatraasparshaastu kaunteya
sheetoshnasukhaduhkhadaah
aagamaapaayino’nityaas
taamstitikshasva bhaarata ॥ 2.14 ॥
Translation / Meaning
O son of Kunti, the contacts of the senses with their objects give rise to cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and are impermanent; endure them patiently, O descendant of Bharata.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| मात्रास्पर्शाः mātrāsparśāḥ | contacts of the senses with objects mātrā (sense objects) + sparśāḥ (contacts) |
| तु tu | but |
| कौन्तेय kaunteya | O son of Kuntī |
| शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ | giving cold and heat, pleasure and pain śīta (cold) + uṣṇa (heat) + sukha (pleasure) + duḥkha (pain) + dāḥ (giving) |
| आगमापायिनः āgamāpāyinaḥ | coming and going āgama (coming) + apāyinaḥ (going) |
| अनित्याः anityāḥ | impermanent |
| तान् tān | them |
| तितिक्षस्व titikṣasva | endure |
| भारत bhārata | O descendant of Bharata |
Word-wise Chanting
- māt–rās–par–śās–tu kaun–te–ya 8 syllables maat-raas-par-shaas-tu kaun-te-ya
- śī–toṣ–ṇa–su–kha–duḥ–kha–dāḥ | 8 syllables shee-tosh-na-su-kha-duh-kha-daah
- ā–ga–mā–pā–yi–no–‘nit–yās– 8 syllables aa-ga-maa-paa-yi-no-‘nit-yaas-
- tāṃs–ti–ti–kṣas–va bhā–ra–ta || 2-14 8 syllables taams-ti-ti-kshas-va bhaa-ra-ta
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 2 Verse 14
Context
After the eternity of the Self (2.12–2.13), Krishna turns to the experiences of the body and senses.
Meaning
Krishna explains where pleasure and pain come from: the meeting of the senses with their objects. These experiences always come in pairs, cold and heat, pleasure and pain, and they never stay. The word titikṣā means patient endurance, the strength to let experiences pass without being overthrown by them.
This is a practical teaching for daily life. Much of our suffering comes from treating passing sensations as permanent and absolute. When we remember that every feeling has a beginning and an end, we can bear it with dignity. Endurance here is not suppression but steady presence while the wave passes.
In Practice
When an uncomfortable feeling arises today, label it silently “coming and going,” and watch it change instead of reacting at once.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga (The Yoga of Knowledge). 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.