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Bhagavad-gītā 18.29

बुद्धेर्भेदं धृतेश्चैव गुणतस्त्रिविधं श‍ृणु । प्रोच्यमानमशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन धनञ्जय ॥ २९ ॥
buddher bhedaṁ dhṛteś caiva
[buddher bhedam dhritesh chaiva]
guṇatas tri-vidhaṁ śṛṇu
[gunatas tri-vidham shrinu]
procyamānam aśeṣeṇa
[prochyamaanam asheshena]
pṛthaktvena dhanañ-jaya
[prithaktvena dhanan-jaya]
Word-for-word
buddheḥ — of intelligence bhedam — the differences dhṛteḥ — of steadiness ca — also eva — certainly guṇataḥ — by the modes of material nature tri - vidham — of three kinds śṛṇu — just hear procyamānam — as described by Me aśeṣeṇa — in detail pṛthaktvena — differently dhanam - jaya — O winner of wealth .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
buddher bhedaṁ dhṛteś caiva
buddheḥ
of intelligence
bhedam
the differences
dhṛteḥ
of steadiness
ca
also
eva
certainly
guṇatas tri-vidhaṁ śṛṇu
guṇataḥ
by the modes of material nature
tri - vidham
of three kinds
śṛṇu
just hear
procyamānam aśeṣeṇa
procyamānam
as described by Me
aśeṣeṇa
in detail
pṛthaktvena dhanañ-jaya
pṛthaktvena
differently
dhanam - jaya
O winner of wealth .
Important Words
  • buddheḥ — of intelligence
    Genitive. The discriminative faculty that decides what to do. The Gītā holds buddhi above mind because mind merely processes; buddhi judges.
  • dhṛteḥ — of steadiness
    Genitive. The faculty that holds the chosen line through obstacles. Without dhṛti, even right buddhi collapses under pressure.
  • tri-vidham — of three kinds
    The refrain returns. Same triadic structure now applied inward. The chapter's architecture is becoming visible — guṇa-analysis sweeping across every category of human function.
  • aśeṣeṇa — in full / without remainder
    Adverb. Kṛṣṇa promises a complete treatment, not a sketch. The next six verses (30-35) will cover all six combinations exhaustively.
  • pṛthaktvena — separately, distinctly
    The kinds will be presented one by one, with their differences clean. The disciple is being trained to recognize each variety in himself diagnostically.
O winner of wealth, now please listen as I tell you in detail of the different kinds of understanding and determination, according to the three modes of material nature.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Kṛṣṇa announces the next two trios: buddhi and dhṛti will each be divided into sattva/rajas/tamas varieties. The encyclopedic sweep continues.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Another road-map verse. The order of presentation across the chapter — tyāga (4-12), jñāna-karma-kartṛ (18-28), buddhi-dhṛti (29-35), sukha (36-39) — moves from will to cognition to feeling-tone, giving the reader a complete guṇa-anatomy of the human being. Vocative 'Dhanañjaya' wakes Arjuna for a new burst of attention.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे धनञ्जय! गुणतः त्रि-विधं बुद्धेः भेदं धृतेः च एव अशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन प्रोच्यमानं शृणु ।
he dhanañjaya! guṇataḥ tri-vidhaṃ buddheḥ bhedaṃ dhṛteḥ ca eva aśeṣeṇa pṛthaktvena procyamānaṃ śṛṇu |
O Dhanañjaya, hear the threefold division of intelligence and of determination according to the modes — being declared in full and distinctly.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
बुद्धेः भेदं धृतेः च एव गुणतः त्रि-विधं शृणु । प्रोच्यमानम् अशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन धनञ्जय ॥
buddheḥ bhedaṃ dhṛteḥ ca eva guṇataḥ tri-vidhaṃ śṛṇu | procyamānam aśeṣeṇa pṛthaktvena dhanañjaya ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
बुद्धेः buddheḥ बुद्धि (f.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of intelligence
भेदम् bhedam भेद (m.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) division
धृतेः dhṛteḥ धृति (f.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of determination
च ca ind. (indeclinable) and
एव eva ind. (indeclinable) indeed
गुणतः guṇataḥ ind. (abl. force) according to mode
त्रि-विधम् tri-vidham dvigu cpd. (compound) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m. threefold
शृणु śṛṇu √श्रु impv. 2sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) hear!
प्रोच्यमानम् procyamānam प्र + √वच् pres. (present)pass. (passive)part. acc.sg. (accusative singular)m. being declared
अशेषेण aśeṣeṇa ind. (indeclinable) in full
पृथक्त्वेन pṛthaktvena पृथक्त्व (n.) ins.sg. (instrumental singular) distinctly
धनञ्जय dhanañjaya tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) voc.sg. (vocative singular)m. O winner of wealth
Purport

Now after explaining knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower, in three different divisions according to the modes of material nature, the Lord is explaining the intelligence and determination of the worker in the same way.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
29. O conqueror of wealth, listen to the three types of intelligence and determination, which will be discussed completely and individually.
Commentary

In order to show that the jñānīs should only accept sattvic items, the Lord now speaks of three types of intelligence and other items.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
29. O conqueror of wealth, listen to the three types of intelligence and determination, which will be discussed completely and individually.
Commentary

Having spoken of process of knowledge, the object of knowledge (action) and the knower (agent), the Lord now agrees to speak about intelligence and determination. The meaning of the verse is clear.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

One is working and is thinking: "O look at the work that I am doing!", but actually are the modes of material nature that are binding him, forcing him to work in a particular way. The same point is true about determination, about understandings and knowledge. One who is not Krsna conscious he is simply being defeated, forced to act by the modes of material nature.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Three kinds of understanding and determination are explained henceforth

One who is not Krishna conscious is forced to act by the modes of material nature. And as in our knowledge and work, so also in our understanding and determination
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
18.29 O Dhananjaya, srnu, listen; bhedam, to the classification; buddheh, of the intellect; ca eva, as also; the classification dhrteh, of fortitude; trividham, which is threefold; gunatah, according to the gunas, sattva etc. -this much is an apporistic statement-; procyamanam, while it is being stated; asesena, elaborately, just as it is, without omitting anything; and prthaktvena, severally. Arjuna is called Dhananjaya because, in the course of his expedition to coner all the qaurters. he won immense human and divine wealth (dhana).
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
18.29 'Buddhi' is the knowledge in the form of discriminative determination. 'Dhrti' is the resolution to hold on with perseverance to what has been undertaken even against all obstacles. Of these two, hear now the threefold division according to Sattva and other Gunas.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
18.29 Buddheh etc. Intellect : the faculty of resolving. Content : satisfaction. After having performed either good or wicked action, everyone, at the end, feels 'what is to be necessarily performed has been performed; so why furhter more ?' Or else what could be the cause for [one's] retiring from that action ?' Therefore in every one there is content. This is the meaning intended here. The word-meaning, that is not clearly known-that alone is certainly explained [hereinafter].
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
18.29 Hear thou the threefold division of intellect and firmness according to the Gunas, as I declare them fully and distinctly, O Arjuna.
Commentary

18.29 बुद्धेः of intellect? भेदम् division? धृतेः of firmness? च and? एव even? गुणतः according to alities? त्रिविधम् threefold? श्रृणु hear? प्रोच्यमानम् as I declare? अशेषेण fully? पृथक्त्वेन distinctly? धनञ्जय O Dhananjaya.Commentary Dhananjaya The coneror of wealth Arjuna is so called because he acired much material and spiritual wealth during his tours of conest (Digvijaya) to the four arters of the earth.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
18.29 O Dhananjaya, listen to the classification of the intellect as also of fortitude, which is threefold according to the gunas, while it is being stated elaborately and severally.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
18.29 Reason and conviction are threefold, according to the Quality which is dominant. I will explain them fully and severally, O Arjuna!
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Prema (Divine Love)
Related verses
BG 14.5 BG 2.41 BG 17.2 SB 11.25.24 SB 11.13.1 SB 3.26.30 CC Madhya 24.145 CC Madhya 25.91 CC Madhya 19.213 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.5Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.10
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Hear of three kinds of understanding and determination, one by one — explained according to the modes.
Practical Applications
  • Welcome continued mode-by-mode analysis.
  • Apply to understanding and determination specifically.
  • Notice your own modes operate in these subtle areas too.
Reflection Questions
  • Which mode is most active in my understanding right now?
  • In my determination?
Analogy

A teacher pauses, marks the next chapter, and announces that the same three-fold analysis will now be applied to the inner instruments — buddhi and dhṛti. The student should sit up: action has been classified, doer has been classified, now the very faculties that drive both are about to be opened.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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