In Bhagavad Gita 2.69, Krishna says that what is night for all beings is the time of waking for the self-controlled sage, and what is waking for beings is night for the seeing sage.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
या निशा सर्वभूतानां
तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी
यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि
सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः ॥ २-६९ ॥
yā niśā sarvabhūtānāṃ
tasyāṃ jāgarti saṃyamī
yasyāṃ jāgrati bhūtāni
sā niśā paśyato muneḥ
English transliteration yaa nishaa sarvabhootaanaam
tasyaam jaagarti samyamee
yasyaam jaagrati bhootaani
saa nishaa pashyato muneh ॥ 2.69 ॥
Translation / Meaning
What is night for all beings, in that the self-controlled one is awake; and that in which all beings are awake is night for the sage who sees.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| या yā | which |
| निशा niśā | night |
| सर्वभूतानाम् sarvabhūtānām | of all beings sarva (all) + bhūtānām (beings) |
| तस्याम् tasyām | in that |
| जागर्ति jāgarti | is awake |
| संयमी saṃyamī | the self-controlled |
| यस्याम् yasyām | in which |
| जाग्रति jāgrati | are awake |
| भूतानि bhūtāni | beings |
| सा sā | that |
| निशा niśā | night |
| पश्यतः paśyataḥ | of the seeing |
| मुनेः muneḥ | of the sage |
Word-wise Chanting
- yā ni–śā sar–va–bhū–tā–nāṃ 8 syllables yaa ni-shaa sar-va-bhoo-taa-naam
- tas–yāṃ jā–gar–ti saṃ–ya–mī | 8 syllables tas-yaam jaa-gar-ti sam-ya-mee
- yas–yāṃ jāg–ra–ti bhū–tā–ni 8 syllables yas-yaam jaag-ra-ti bhoo-taa-ni
- sā ni–śā paś–ya–to mu–neḥ || 2-69 8 syllables saa ni-shaa pash-ya-to mu-neh
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 69
Context
Krishna uses a powerful paradox to contrast the vision of the sage with ordinary perception.
Meaning
Ordinary people are awake to the world of objects and pleasures, but asleep to the reality of the Self. The sage is awake to the Self, which for others is like night, unseen and unknown. And the things that excite ordinary people seem to the sage like a dream or the darkness of night.
The verse is not about literal sleep but about where our attention is awake. The sage lives in a different reality, not by escaping the world but by seeing through it. As our values change, what seemed important begins to look dim, and what seemed invisible begins to shine.
In Practice
Ask yourself: what am I most awake to in my daily life? Choose to spend a few minutes being “awake” to the inner reality that is usually in the dark.
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.