FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 6.8

ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्‍तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रिय: । युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्ट्राश्मकाञ्चन: ॥ ८ ॥
jñāna-vijñāna-tṛptātmā
[jnaana-vijnaana-triptaatmaa]
kūṭa-stho vijitendriyaḥ
[koota-stho vijitendriyah]
yukta ity ucyate yogī
[yukta ity uchyate yogee]
sama-loṣṭrāśma-kāñcanaḥ
[sama-loshtraashma-kaanchanah]
Word-for-word
jñāna — by acquired knowledge vijñāna — and realized knowledge tṛpta — satisfied ātmā — a living entity kūṭa - sthaḥ — spiritually situated vijita - indriyaḥ — sensually controlled yuktaḥ — competent for self-realization iti — thus ucyate — is said yogī — a mystic sama — equipoised loṣṭra — pebbles aśma — stone kāñcanaḥ — gold .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
jñāna-vijñāna-tṛptātmā
jñāna
by acquired knowledge
vijñāna
and realized knowledge
tṛpta
satisfied
ātmā
a living entity
kūṭa-stho vijitendriyaḥ
kūṭa - sthaḥ
spiritually situated
vijita - indriyaḥ
sensually controlled
yukta ity ucyate yogī
yuktaḥ
competent for self-realization
iti
thus
ucyate
is said
yogī
a mystic
sama-loṣṭrāśma-kāñcanaḥ
sama
equipoised
loṣṭra
pebbles
aśma
stone
kāñcanaḥ
gold .
Important Words
  • jñāna — by acquired knowledge
    Theoretical knowledge from śāstra and guru. The first leg of the verse's foundation — the yogī has heard correctly.
  • vijñāna — and realized knowledge
    Vi-jñāna — knowledge with the prefix of distinction, i.e., knowledge that has become one's own through realization. Jñāna without vijñāna is library work. Kṛṣṇa names both as the dual ground of true satisfaction.
  • tṛpta — satisfied
    Past participle of √tṛp, 'to be filled, satiated.' The yogī is full — already. He is not satisfied by gold because he is not hungry for gold. The famine is what makes the coin precious.
  • kūṭa-sthaḥ — spiritually situated
    Literally 'standing on the peak' or 'immovable as an anvil.' The yogī is fixed — not as one ground down by life into stillness, but as one stationed at the unshakable summit.
  • vijita-indriyaḥ — sense-controlled
    Bahuvrīhi — 'one by whom the senses are conquered.' Note again the language of conquest, echoing verse 6. The senses are the foot-soldiers of the mind; the conquered mind has conquered them too.
  • sama-loṣṭra-aśma-kāñcanaḥ — equipoised in clay, stone, and gold
    Bahuvrīhi compound, three items chosen with care. Loṣṭra (clay clod) is what the foolish discard, kāñcana (gold) is what they pursue, aśma (stone) is what they ignore. Three attitudes leveled into one vision.
A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a yogī [or mystic] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything – whether it be pebbles, stones or gold – as the same.
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 'united' yogī (yukta) is portrayed by three signatures: inward fullness (no informational hunger), unshakable poise (kūṭa-stha), and indifference to economic value. The image of a goldsmith's anvil — heavy, useful, unmoved — fixes the tone.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Jñāna and vijñāna are paired throughout the Gītā as theory and realization (cf. 7.2, 9.1). Kūṭa-stha is a technical Vedāntic epithet for the unchanging witness (cf. Kaṭha 2.2.13). The loṣṭra-aśma-kāñcana triad — a clod of earth, a rock, gold — deliberately spans worthless, neutral, and prized; the yogī's verdict on all three is the same.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
(यः) ज्ञान-विज्ञान-तृप्त-आत्मा कूट-स्थः विजित-इन्द्रियः सम-लोष्ट्र-अश्म-काञ्चनः (अस्ति), सः योगी युक्तः इति उच्यते।
(yaḥ) jñāna-vijñāna-tṛpta-ātmā kūṭa-sthaḥ vijita-indriyaḥ sama-loṣṭra-aśma-kāñcanaḥ (asti), saḥ yogī yuktaḥ iti ucyate|
He whose self is satisfied by knowledge and realized wisdom, who stands like an anvil unmoved, whose senses are conquered, to whom a clod, a stone, and gold are alike — that yogī is called yukta (united).
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
ज्ञान-विज्ञान-तृप्त-आत्मा कूट-स्थः विजित-इन्द्रियः । युक्तः इति उच्यते योगी सम-लोष्ट्र-अश्म-काञ्चनः ॥
jñāna-vijñāna-tṛpta-ātmā kūṭa-sthaḥ vijita-indriyaḥ | yuktaḥ iti ucyate yogī sama-loṣṭra-aśma-kāñcanaḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
ज्ञान-विज्ञान-तृप्त-आत्मा jñāna-vijñāna-tṛpta-ātmā dvandva + तृप्त (p.p.p. (past passive participle)) + आत्मन् (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular), bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) whose self is fulfilled by knowledge and realization
कूट-स्थः kūṭa-sthaḥ कूट (m.) + स्थ (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) standing like an anvil, immovable
विजित-इन्द्रियः vijita-indriyaḥ विजित (p.p.p. (past passive participle)) + इन्द्रिय (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) whose senses are mastered
युक्तः yuktaḥ √युज् p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. united, fit
इति iti ind. (indeclinable) thus
उच्यते ucyate √वच् pass. (passive) pres. (present) 3sg. is called
योगी yogī योगिन् (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) yogī
सम-लोष्ट्र-अश्म-काञ्चनः sama-loṣṭra-aśma-kāñcanaḥ सम (adj.) + dvandva (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) to whom clod, stone, and gold are equal
Purport

Book knowledge without realization of the Supreme Truth is useless. This is stated as follows: ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ “No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.” ( Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234) This Bhagavad-gītā is the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No one can become Kṛṣṇa conscious simply by mundane scholarship. One must be fortunate enough to associate with a person who is in pure consciousness. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has realized knowledge, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, because he is satisfied with pure devotional service. By realized knowledge, one becomes perfect. By transcendental knowledge one can remain steady in his convictions, but by mere academic knowledge one can be easily deluded and confused by apparent contradictions. It is the realized soul who is actually self-controlled, because he is surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. He is transcendental because he has nothing to do with mundane scholarship. For him mundane scholarship and mental speculation, which may be as good as gold to others, are of no greater value than pebbles or stones.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
8. He who is satisfied by scriptural teachings and realization, who is pervaded by one nature, completely in control of the senses, and who considers a lump of earth, stone and gold as the same, is called a yogī.
Commentary

He is devoid of desires, being satisfied by knowledge attained by teachings (jñāna) and realization (vijñāna). He remains situated in one nature at all times (kūṭa-sthaḥ). [Note: He does not change but remains fixed in ātmā.] Since he has no attraction for any object, he sees as equal a lump of dirt (loṣṭa), rock and gold.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
8. He who is satisfied by scriptural teachings and realization, who is pervaded by one nature, completely in control of the senses, and who considers a lump of earth, stone and gold as the same, is called a yogī.
Commentary

One who is satisfied, whose mind is filled with knowledge from scripture (jñāna) and realization of individual ātmā (vijñāna), who is situated at all times in the same nature (kūṭasthaḥ), who has conquered the senses because of being fixed only in the ātmā apart from matter, who sees all matter such as a lump of earth, stone and gold as one, —such a yogī who is engaged in niṣkāma karma (yuktaḥ) is called a person fit to practicing the yoga for seeing the ātmā.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Those are the things that satisfies him ‑ his jnana and vijnana. He is looking externally for something else. And in order to do this one has to have control of his mind. This stage is called 'triptatma', satisfied in the self. Another meaning for 'triptatma' is like an anvil being beaten by a blacksmith. That is what one has to do practically to his mind to get it to be satisfied with jnana and vijnana and not with sense gratification. This is the qualification of this Yogarudha stage where one can give up work, niskama karma.

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

Symptoms of yoga-rudha stage

COMMON THEME: Complete indifference to material existence by realized knowledge of Supersoul

Focus of Learning

(a) Intended goal for every living entity – to abide by the dictation of the Supreme Personality of

Godhead who is seated in everyone’s heart as Paramatma

(b) Deviation from the goal because of misled mind – When the mind is misled by the external

illusory energy, one becomes entangled in material activities

(c) Solution to avoid deviation

Mind must admit some superior dictation and follow it
When the mind is fixed on the superior nature, he has no alternative but to follow the dictations of the Supreme
Effect of controlling the mind – One automatically follows the dictation of Paramatma

(d) Krishna consciousness offers this very practical solution

A devotee automatically follows the Lord’s dictation and therefore he is unaffected by dualities, being fully absorbed in the Supreme
This state is called ‘practical-samadhi’

SUMMARISED THEME 6A

SYMPTOMS OF YOGARUDHA STAGE (6.7 – 6.9)

A) If the mind is made a friend as per Text 6.6, the following symptoms develop, as the realizations

deepen and grow, in the following sequence:

1. Completely neutral to all material existence and dualities (6.7)

2. Sees all object equally – Pebbles, gold, stone (6.8)

3. Fully satisfied by jnana and vijnana (6.8)

4. Sees all people equally – “most advanced stage” (6.9)

(d) Best way to disentangle mind – Always engage mind in Krishna consciousness

(e) Real yoga practice entails – Meeting Paramatma in the heart and following His dictation

cf. Unconquered mind has to serve the dictations of lust, anger, avarice, illusion etc.

(f) How Krishna consciousness fulfils this – Perfect surrender to Lord’s dictations follows

automatically in Krishna Consciousness

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
6.8 A yogi, jnana-vijnana-trpta-atma, whose mind is satisfied with knowledge and realization-jnana is thorough knowledge of things presented by the scriptures, but vijnana is making those things known from the scriptures a subject of one's own realization just as they have been presented; he whose mind (atma) has become contented (trpta) with those jnana and vijnana is jnana-vijnana-trpta-atma-; kutasthah, who is unmoved, i.e. who becomes unshakable; and vijita-indriyah, who has his organs under control;- he who is of this kind, ucyate, is said to be; yuktah, Self-absorbed. That yogi sama-losta-asma-kancanah, treats eally a lump of earth, a stone and gold. Further,
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
6.8 That Karma Yogin whose mind is content with the knowledge of the self and the knowledge of the difference, i.e., whose mind is content with the knowledge concerning the real nature of the self as well as with the knowledge of the difference of Its nature from Prakrti; 'who is established in the self' (Kutasthah), i.e., who remains as the self which is of the uniform nature of knowledge in all stages of evolution as men, gods etc. whose senses are therefore subdued; and to whom 'earth, stone and gold are of eal value' because of his lack of interest in any material objects of enjoyment on account of his intense earnestness to know the real nature of the self as different from Prakrti - he, that Karma Yogi, is called integrated i.e., fit for the practice of Yoga which is of the nature of the vision of the self. And also.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
6.8 Jnana - etc. Knowledge : a knowledge which is different from the false one. What consists of varied thoughts : the action in which varied thoughts are involved, i.e. the action that is born as result of preceding thoughts of reasoning.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
6.8 The Yogi who is satisfied with the knowledge and the wisdom (of the Self), who has conered the senses, and to whom a clod of earth, a piece of stone and gold are the same, is said to be harmonied (i.e., is said to have attained Nirvikalpa Samadhi).
Commentary

6.8 ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा one who is satisfied with knowledge and wisdom (Selfrealisation)? कूटस्थः unshaken? विजितेन्द्रियः who has conered the senses? युक्तः united or harmonised? इति thus? उच्यते is said? योगी Yogi? समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः one to whom a lump of earth? a stone and gold are the same.Commentary Jnana is ParokshaJnana or theoretical knowledge from the study of the scriptures. Vijnana is Visesha Jnana or Aparoksha Jnana? i.e.? direct knowledge of the Self through Selfrealisation (spiritual experience or Anubhava).Kutastha means changeless like the anvil. Various kinds of iron pieces are hammered and shaped on the anvil? but the anvil remains unchanged. Even so the Yogi remains unshaken or unchanged or unaffected though he comes in contact with the senseobjects. So he is called Kutastha. Kutastha is another name of Brahman? the silent witness of the mind. (Cf.V.18VI.18)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
6.8 One whose mind is satisfied with knowledge and realization, who is unmoved, who has his organs under control, is sadi to be Self-absorbed. The yogi treats eally a lump of earth, a stone and gold.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
6.8 He who desires nothing but wisdom and spiritual insight, who has conquered his senses and who looks with the same eye upon a lump of earth, a stone or fine gold, is a real saint.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)
Related verses
BG 2.55 BG 14.24 BG 12.19 SB 11.19.36 SB 4.22.24 SB 1.2.20 CC Madhya 22.31 CC Madhya 23.111 CC Madhya 8.274 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.9Chāndogya Upaniṣad 7.23.1
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Satisfied by knowledge and realization, situated in the height — sense-controlled, equipoised in clay, stone, and gold — that one is liberated.
Practical Applications
  • Cultivate true satisfaction through realization, not accumulation.
  • Practice equipoise toward objects of varying material value.
  • Use clay/stone/gold as the daily test.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'gold' do I still treat as gold rather than as one form of matter?
  • What would equipoise look like?
Analogy

A goldsmith's hand can hold a lump of clay, a stone, and a gold coin and weigh them all with the same touch — because his livelihood is in the craft, not in the material. The yogī's eye has the same equipoise: clay, stone, and gold pass through it as forms of matter, none reaching the satisfaction that already lives in him from knowledge and realization.

Stories
Sanātana Gosvāmī and the Touchstone

When Sanātana Gosvāmī, having renounced his ministerial position, lived as a mendicant in Vraja, a brāhmaṇa came to him offering a touchstone (sparśa-maṇi) capable of turning iron into gold. Sanātana told him to throw it in the river — and then, when the brāhmaṇa asked for what was higher than a touchstone, gave him the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

Clay, stone, and gold — sama-loṣṭra-aśma-kāñcanaḥ — in literal demonstration. The man who lives by jñāna and vijñāna does not weigh the gold; he weighs only what feeds the soul.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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