FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 2.70

आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् । तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे स शान्तिमाप्‍नोति न कामकामी ॥ ७० ॥
āpūryamāṇam acala-pratiṣṭhaṁ
[aapooryamaanam achala-pratishtham]
samudram āpaḥ praviśanti yadvat
[samudram aapah pravishanti yadvat]
tadvat kāmā yaṁ praviśanti sarve
[tadvat kaamaa yam pravishanti sarve]
sa śāntim āpnoti na kāma-kāmī
[sa shaantim aapnoti na kaama-kaamee]
Word-for-word
āpūryamāṇam — always being filled acala - pratiṣṭham — steadily situated samudram — the ocean āpaḥ — waters praviśanti — enter yadvat — as tadvat — so kāmāḥ — desires yam — unto whom praviśanti — enter sarve — all saḥ — that person śāntim — peace āpnoti — achieves na — not kāma - kāmī — one who desires to fulfill desires .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
āpūryamāṇam acala-pratiṣṭhaṁ
āpūryamāṇam
always being filled
acala - pratiṣṭham
steadily situated
samudram āpaḥ praviśanti yadvat
samudram
the ocean
āpaḥ
waters
praviśanti
enter
yadvat
as
tadvat kāmā yaṁ praviśanti sarve
tadvat
so
kāmāḥ
desires
yam
unto whom
praviśanti
enter
sarve
all
sa śāntim āpnoti na kāma-kāmī
saḥ
that person
śāntim
peace
āpnoti
achieves
na
not
kāma - kāmī
one who desires to fulfill desires .
Important Words
  • āpūryamāṇam — ever being filled
    Present participle passive of ā + √pṝ — to fill. The ocean is *always being filled* by rivers; the influx is continuous. The verse acknowledges: desires *will* enter. The question is not how to stop them.
  • acala - pratiṣṭham — of unmoving stability
    Compound — *whose foundation does not move*. The ocean's level is *fixed* despite the constant intake. The image is precise: not stillness from inactivity, but stability under constant input.
  • samudram — the ocean
    The image. The Gītā chose the largest receptacle available — large enough that all rivers' combined input does not alter it. The śāntim achiever is at that scale.
  • praviśanti — enter
    From pra + √viś — to enter into. Desires *enter* the śāntim achiever — but enter as rivers enter the ocean: absorbed without displacement. The point is not absence of desire but its absorption.
  • kāma - kāmī — one who desires desires
    Compound — *desirer of desires*. The contrast figure. The one who *pursues* desires gets no śānti; the one in whom desires *enter and are absorbed* does. The grammar of pursuit versus reception names the difference.
A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires – that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still – can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires.
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)
The Gītā's ocean metaphor for inner peace. Desires arrive like rivers; the wise one absorbs them all without level rising or sinking. The other — kāma-kāmī, hungry for the next desire — chases the rivers themselves and never reaches the sea.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Triṣṭubh metre returns for this image, marking it as a high-poetic climax. The key paradox: ā-pūryamāṇam (continually being filled) yet acala-pratiṣṭham (unmoved). The ocean's level does not change because its capacity is infinite. So too the wise heart can receive every arising desire without being moved by it. The kāma-kāmī (desire-craver) is the structural opposite — chasing each wave, never reaching the depths.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
यद्वत् आपः आपूर्यमाणम् अचल-प्रतिष्ठम् समुद्रम् प्रविशन्ति, तद्वत् यम् सर्वे कामाः प्रविशन्ति, सः शान्तिम् आप्नोति, न (तु) काम-कामी ।
yadvat āpaḥ āpūryamāṇam acala-pratiṣṭham samudram praviśanti, tadvat yam sarve kāmāḥ praviśanti, saḥ śāntim āpnoti, na (tu) kāma-kāmī |
As waters enter the ocean — which is being filled yet stands unmoved — so the one whom all desires enter (in this manner) attains peace, but not the one who craves desires.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
आपूर्यमाणम् अचल-प्रतिष्ठम् समुद्रम् आपः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् । तद्वत् कामाः यम् प्रविशन्ति सर्वे सः शान्तिम् आप्नोति न काम-कामी ॥
āpūryamāṇam acala-pratiṣṭham samudram āpaḥ praviśanti yadvat | tadvat kāmāḥ yam praviśanti sarve saḥ śāntim āpnoti na kāma-kāmī ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
आपूर्यमाणम् āpūryamāṇam आ+√पॄ pass. (passive) pres. (present) part. acc.sg. (accusative singular)m., 'being filled' being filled
अचल-प्रतिष्ठम् acala-pratiṣṭham अचल + प्रतिष्ठ (adj.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound), 'whose foundation is unmoving' of unmoved foundation
समुद्रम् samudram समुद्र (m.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) the ocean
आपः āpaḥ अप् (f.) nom.pl. (nominative plural), 'waters' waters
प्रविशन्ति praviśanti प्र+√विश् pres. (present) 3pl.par. (parasmaipada / active voice), 'enter' enter
यद्वत् yadvat ind. (indeclinable), 'as' as
तद्वत् tadvat ind. (indeclinable), 'so' so
कामाः kāmāḥ काम (m.) nom.pl. (nominative plural) desires
यम् yam यद् (rel.) acc.sg. (accusative singular)m. whom
सर्वे sarve सर्व (pron. (pronoun)/adj.) nom.pl. (nominative plural)m. all
सः saḥ तद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. he
शान्तिम् śāntim शान्ति (f.) acc.sg. (accusative singular), 'peace' peace
आप्नोति āpnoti √आप् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice), 'attains' attains
न काम-कामी na kāma-kāmī न + काम (m.) + कामिन् (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., 'not the desirer of desires' not the desire-craver
Purport

Although the vast ocean is always filled with water, it is always, especially during the rainy season, being filled with much more water. But the ocean remains the same – steady; it is not agitated, nor does it cross beyond the limit of its brink. That is also true of a person fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As long as one has the material body, the demands of the body for sense gratification will continue. The devotee, however, is not disturbed by such desires, because of his fullness. A Kṛṣṇa conscious man is not in need of anything, because the Lord fulfills all his material necessities. Therefore he is like the ocean – always full in himself. Desires may come to him like the waters of the rivers that flow into the ocean, but he is steady in his activities, and he is not even slightly disturbed by desires for sense gratification. That is the proof of a Kṛṣṇa conscious man – one who has lost all inclinations for material sense gratification, although the desires are present. Because he remains satisfied in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he can remain steady, like the ocean, and therefore enjoy full peace. Others, however, who want to fulfill desires even up to the limit of liberation, what to speak of material success, never attain peace. The fruitive workers, the salvationists, and also the yogīs who are after mystic powers are all unhappy because of unfulfilled desires. But the person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is happy in the service of the Lord, and he has no desires to be fulfilled. In fact, he does not even desire liberation from the so-called material bondage. The devotees of Kṛṣṇa have no material desires, and therefore they are in perfect peace.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
70. Just as the rivers enter the ocean which has fixed shores and is never quite full, so the objects of enjoyment enter into the sthita-prajña, but he remains peaceful. This is not so for the desirer of those objects.
Commentary

This verse describes the sthita-prajña’s condition of not being affected or agitated when he accepts the sense objects. Just as in the rainy season, rivers (āpaḥ) here and there enter into the ocean, almost filling it up (ā—almost, pūryamāṇam—filled), but not being able to completely fill it up, not being able to go beyond the shore (acalā-pratiṣṭham), in a similar manner the objects of sense enjoyment (kāmaḥ) come to the sthita-prajña for his enjoyment (but cannot disturb him). Just as, whether the rivers enter or do not enter the ocean, the ocean is not disturbed at all, the sthita-prajña (saḥ) remains undisturbed whether he gets objects of enjoyment or not. He attains the stage of jñāna (śāntim).

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
70. Just as the rivers enter the ocean which has fixed banks and is never quite full, so the objects of enjoyment enter into the sthita prajña, but he remains peaceful. This is not so for the desirer of those objects.
Commentary

In this verse the Lord makes clear the state mentioned in the previous verse. Just as rivers full from the rainy season enter the ocean which by its nature is full, with shores not overflowing, and cannot cause any change to the ocean, so that person into whom sense objects (sarve kāmāḥ), attracted to him by his prārabdha karmas, enter but cannot cause change—that persons attains peace. Thought the sense objects come to his senses, the sthita prajña does not undergo any change at all, because of the satisfaction of realizing the bliss of ātmā. But he who desires the sense objects (kāma kāmī) does not attain that peace.

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

Krishna gives a second analogy: Rivers into the ocean

Self-realized person is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires that enter, just like rivers enter into the ocean which is ever being filled but is always still
This is the platform of real peace

Focus of Learning

(a) Krishna conscious person is full because the Lord fulfils all his material necessities therefore he is

always full like the ocean

(b) Proof of Krishna conscious man

Lost all inclination for sense gratification although desires are present
He is steady like the ocean because he remains satisfied in transcendental loving service and thus achieves real peace
He enjoys full peace – On the contrary: Bhukti (fruitive workers), Mukti (Salvationist) and Siddhi-Kaami (yogis) never attain peace

(a) Two classes of intelligent men

Those involved in material action for sense gratification – They are asleep to self-realisation
They dream of varieties of sense pleasures
Sometimes they feel happy and sometimes distressed
Those who are introspective and awake to self-realisation – They are always indifferent to materialism
They feel transcendental pleasure in gradual advancement of spiritual culture
Always undisturbed and indifferent to materialistic happiness and distress

(a) Who is a sadhaka, or a suitable candidate for liberation – One who has understood that:

Only by Krishna consciousness is one really established in intelligence
And one should practice this art under the guidance of a bona-fide spiritual master

(b) Analogy: Controlling enemies requires a superior force

Similarly senses cannot be controlled by any human endeavor
But can be controlled only by keeping them in the service of the Lord
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
2.70 Sah, that man; apnoti, attains; santim, peace Liberation; yam, into whom, into which person; sarve, all; kamah, desires, all forms of wishes; pravisanti, enter, from all directions, like waters entering into a sea, without overwhelming him even in the presence of objects; they vanish in the Self, they do not bring It under their own influence, tadvat, in the same way; yadvat, as; apah, waters, coming from all sides; pravisanti, flow into; samudram, a sea; that remains acala-pratistham, unchanged, that continues to be its own self, without any change; apuryamanam, (even) when filled up from all sides with water. Na, not so the other; who is kama-kami, desirous of objects. Kama means objects which are sought after. He who is given to desire them is kama-kami. The idea implied is that he never attains (peace). Since this is so, therefore.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
2.70 The river waters enter into the sea which is full by itself and is thus the same, i.e., unchanging in shape. The sea exhibits no special increase or decrease, whether the waters or rivers enter it or not. Even so do all objects of desire, i.e., objects of sense perception like sound etc., enter into a self-controlled one, i.e., they produce only sensorial impressions but no reaction from him. Such a person will attain peace. The meaning is that he alone attains to peace, who by reason of the contentment coming from the vision of the self, feels no disturbance when objects of sense like sound, etc., come within the ken of the senses or when they do not come. This is not the case with one who runs after desires. Whoever is agitated by sound and other objects, never attains to peace.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
2.70 Apuryamanam etc. the man of Yoga does not run out for the sake of pleasure; but, rather just as the floods of the rivers enter into the sea, the objects of pleasure [themselves] continuously enter into him on account of their being peculiar attributes of the sense-organs; and they do not create in him waves [of agitation]. thus the third estion is decided.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
2.70 He attains peace into whom all desires enter as waters enter the ocean which, filled from all sides, remains unmoved; but not the man who is full of desires.
Commentary

2.70 आपूर्यमाणम् filled from all sides? अचलप्रतिष्ठम् based in stillness? समुद्रम् ocean? आपः water? प्रविशन्ति enter? यद्वत् as? तद्वत् so? कामाः desires? यम् whom? प्रविशन्ति enter? सर्वे all? सः he? शान्तिम् peace? आप्नोति attains? न not? कामकामी desirer of desires.Commentary Just as the ocean filled with waters from all sides remains unmoved? so also the sage who is resting in his own Svarupa or the Self is not a bit affected though desires of all sorts enter from all sides. The sage attains peace or liberation but not he who longs for objects of sensual enjoyment and entertains various desires. (Cf.XVIII.53?54).

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
2.70 That man attains peace into whom all desires enter in the same way as the waters flow into a sea that remains unchanged (even) when being filled up from all sides. Not so one who is desirous of objects.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
2.70 He attains Peace, into whom desires flow as rivers into the ocean, which though brimming with water remains ever the same; not he whom desire carries away.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 5.21 BG 6.7 BG 12.19 SB 3.27.5 SB 8.3.10 SB 11.13.36 CC Ādi 4.193 CC Madhya 8.214 CC Madhya 23.41 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.5BRS 1.3.16
Study Q&A referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
As the ocean remains undisturbed by the rivers entering it, so the wise are undisturbed by desires entering them — not by absence of desires but by capacity to absorb them.
Practical Applications
  • Aim to be ocean-like, not desert-like; spirituality is fullness, not emptiness.
  • Welcome desires as rivers entering you, then let them lose their force in the vastness of remembrance.
  • Notice that the ocean does not chase rivers — it does not need to.
Reflection Questions
  • Am I trying to be a desert when Krishna asks me to be an ocean?
  • Where can I let a desire enter and dissolve rather than fight it or feed it?
Analogy

The ocean receives all rivers and remains full but unmoved — no river makes it overflow, no drought makes it shrink. The verse names a kind of person who receives all desires the world flings at him and is *full but unmoved* in just this way. The world's currents enter; the person does not enlarge or empty.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 2