FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 10.4-5

బుద్ధిర్జ్ఞానమసమ్మోహ: క్షమా సత్యం దమ: శమ: । సుఖం దు:ఖం భవోఽభావో భయం చాభయమేవ చ ॥ ౪ ॥ అహింసా సమతా తుష్టిస్తపో దానం యశోఽయశ: । భవన్తి భావా భూతానాం మత్త ఏవ పృథగ్విధా: ॥ ౫ ॥
buddhir jñānam asammohaḥ
[buddhir jnaanam asammohah]
kṣamā satyaṁ damaḥ śamaḥ
[kshamaa satyam damah shamah]
sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhavo ’bhāvo
[sukham duhkham bhavo ’bhaavo]
bhayaṁ cābhayam eva ca
[bhayam chaabhayam eva cha]
ahiṁsā samatā tuṣṭis
[ahimsaa samataa tushtis]
tapo dānaṁ yaśo ’yaśaḥ
[tapo daanam yasho ’yashah]
bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṁ
[bhavanti bhaavaa bhootaanaam]
matta eva pṛthag-vidhāḥ
[matta eva prithag-vidhaah]
Word-for-word
buddhiḥ — intelligence jñānam — knowledge asammohaḥ — freedom from doubt kṣamā — forgiveness satyam — truthfulness damaḥ — control of the senses śamaḥ — control of the mind sukham — happiness duḥkham — distress bhavaḥ — birth abhāvaḥ — death bhayam — fear ca — also abhayam — fearlessness eva — also ca — and ahiṁsā — nonviolence samatā — equilibrium tuṣṭiḥ — satisfaction tapaḥ — penance dānam — charity yaśaḥ — fame ayaśaḥ — infamy bhavanti — come about bhāvāḥ — natures bhūtānām — of living entities mattaḥ — from Me eva — certainly pṛthak - vidhāḥ — variously arranged .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
buddhir jñānam asammohaḥ
buddhiḥ
intelligence
jñānam
knowledge
asammohaḥ
freedom from doubt
kṣamā satyaṁ damaḥ śamaḥ
kṣamā
forgiveness
satyam
truthfulness
damaḥ
control of the senses
śamaḥ
control of the mind
sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhavo ’bhāvo
sukham
happiness
duḥkham
distress
bhavaḥ
birth
bhayaṁ cābhayam eva ca
abhāvaḥ
death
ahiṁsā samatā tuṣṭis
tapo dānaṁ yaśo ’yaśaḥ
bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṁ
bhayam
fear
ca
also
abhayam
fearlessness
matta eva pṛthag-vidhāḥ
eva
also
ca
and
ahiṁsā
nonviolence
samatā
equilibrium
tuṣṭiḥ
satisfaction
tapaḥ
penance
dānam
charity
yaśaḥ
fame
ayaśaḥ
infamy
bhavanti
come about
bhāvāḥ
natures
bhūtānām
of living entities
mattaḥ
from Me
eva
certainly
pṛthak - vidhāḥ
variously arranged .
Important Words
  • buddhiḥ — intelligence
    First in the list — and listed first because everything in the catalog requires discrimination to function. Kṛṣṇa is the source even of the faculty by which we judge sources.
  • kṣamā — forgiveness
    From the root kṣam, 'to endure.' Not weak indulgence but the strong capacity to absorb wrong without retaliation. The verse credits this rare moral muscle to Kṛṣṇa, not to one's own breeding.
  • damaḥ — control of the senses
    Outer restraint — pulling the senses back from their objects. Paired below with śamaḥ (inner restraint of the mind). Both halves of self-mastery are listed as Kṛṣṇa's downward gift, not human achievement.
  • ahiṁsā — nonviolence
    Listed mid-stream alongside birth, death, and fear — implying that even the moral instinct against harm is not a private possession but a flowing-down from the Lord.
  • mattaḥ — from Me
    Ablative case — 'out from Me.' The hinge of the verse: nineteen disparate qualities, one source. Kṛṣṇa collapses the apparent randomness of human virtues and conditions into a single emanation.
  • pṛthak - vidhāḥ — variously arranged
    'Of various kinds.' The qualities differ; the source is one. The compound preserves both unity (one mattaḥ) and plurality (pṛthak) without collapsing either — a small philosophical victory.
Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt and delusion, forgiveness, truthfulness, control of the senses, control of the mind, happiness and distress, birth, death, fear, fearlessness, nonviolence, equanimity, satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame and infamy – all these various qualities of living beings are created by Me alone.
Purport

The different qualities of living entities, be they good or bad, are all created by Kṛṣṇa, and they are described here. Intelligence refers to the power to analyze things in their proper perspective, and knowledge refers to understanding what is spirit and what is matter. Ordinary knowledge obtained by a university education pertains only to matter, and it is not accepted here as knowledge. Knowledge means knowing the distinction between spirit and matter. In modern education there is no knowledge about spirit; they are simply taking care of the material elements and bodily needs. Therefore academic knowledge is not complete. Asammoha, freedom from doubt and delusion, can be achieved when one is not hesitant and when he understands the transcendental philosophy. Slowly but surely he becomes free from bewilderment. Nothing should be accepted blindly; everything should be accepted with care and with caution. Kṣamā, tolerance and forgiveness, should be practiced; one should be tolerant and excuse the minor offenses of others. Satyam, truthfulness, means that facts should be presented as they are, for the benefit of others. Facts should not be misrepresented. According to social conventions, it is said that one can speak the truth only when it is palatable to others. But that is not truthfulness. The truth should be spoken in a straightforward way, so that others will understand actually what the facts are. If a man is a thief and if people are warned that he is a thief, that is truth. Although sometimes the truth is unpalatable, one should not refrain from speaking it. Truthfulness demands that the facts be presented as they are for the benefit of others. That is the definition of truth. Control of the senses means that the senses should not be used for unnecessary personal enjoyment. There is no prohibition against meeting the proper needs of the senses, but unnecessary sense enjoyment is detrimental for spiritual advancement. Therefore the senses should be restrained from unnecessary use. Similarly, one should restrain the mind from unnecessary thoughts; that is called śama. One should not spend one’s time pondering over earning money. That is a misuse of the thinking power. The mind should be used to understand the prime necessity of human beings, and that should be presented authoritatively. The power of thought should be developed in association with persons who are authorities in the scriptures, saintly persons and spiritual masters and those whose thinking is highly developed. Sukham, pleasure or happiness, should always be in that which is favorable for the cultivation of the spiritual knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And similarly, that which is painful or which causes distress is that which is unfavorable for the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Anything favorable for the development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be accepted, and anything unfavorable should be rejected. Bhava, birth, should be understood to refer to the body. As far as the soul is concerned, there is neither birth nor death; that we have discussed in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Birth and death apply to one’s embodiment in the material world. Fear is due to worrying about the future. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has no fear because by his activities he is sure to go back to the spiritual sky, back home, back to Godhead. Therefore his future is very bright. Others, however, do not know what their future holds; they have no knowledge of what the next life holds. So they are therefore in constant anxiety. If we want to get free from anxiety, then the best course is to understand Kṛṣṇa and be situated always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In that way we will be free from all fear. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.37) it is stated, bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt: fear is caused by our absorption in the illusory energy. But those who are free from the illusory energy, those who are confident that they are not the material body, that they are spiritual parts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who are therefore engaged in the transcendental service of the Supreme Godhead, have nothing to fear. Their future is very bright. This fear is a condition of persons who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Abhayam, fearlessness, is possible only for one in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ahiṁsā, nonviolence, means that one should not do anything which will put others into misery or confusion. Material activities that are promised by so many politicians, sociologists, philanthropists, etc., do not produce very good results because the politicians and philanthropists have no transcendental vision; they do not know what is actually beneficial for human society. Ahiṁsā means that people should be trained in such a way that the full utilization of the human body can be achieved. The human body is meant for spiritual realization, so any movement or any commissions which do not further that end commit violence on the human body. That which furthers the future spiritual happiness of the people in general is called nonviolence. Samatā, equanimity, refers to freedom from attachment and aversion. To be very much attached or to be very much detached is not the best. This material world should be accepted without attachment or aversion. That which is favorable for prosecuting Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be accepted; that which is unfavorable should be rejected. That is called samatā, equanimity. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has nothing to reject and nothing to accept save in terms of its usefulness in the prosecution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tuṣṭi, satisfaction, means that one should not be eager to gather more and more material goods by unnecessary activity. One should be satisfied with whatever is obtained by the grace of the Supreme Lord; that is called satisfaction. Tapas means austerity or penance. There are many rules and regulations in the Vedas which apply here, like rising early in the morning and taking a bath. Sometimes it is very troublesome to rise early in the morning, but whatever voluntary trouble one may suffer in this way is called penance. Similarly, there are prescriptions for fasting on certain days of the month. One may not be inclined to practice such fasting, but because of his determination to make advancement in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he should accept such bodily troubles when they are recommended. However, one should not fast unnecessarily or against Vedic injunctions. One should not fast for some political purpose; that is described in Bhagavad-gītā as fasting in ignorance, and anything done in ignorance or passion does not lead to spiritual advancement. Everything done in the mode of goodness does advance one, however, and fasting done in terms of the Vedic injunctions enriches one in spiritual knowledge. As far as charity is concerned, one should give fifty percent of his earnings to some good cause. And what is a good cause? It is that which is conducted in terms of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not only a good cause, but the best cause. Because Kṛṣṇa is good, His cause is also good. Thus charity should be given to a person who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. According to the Vedic literature, it is enjoined that charity should be given to the brāhmaṇas. This practice is still followed, although not very nicely in terms of the Vedic injunction. But still the injunction is that charity should be given to the brāhmaṇas. Why? Because they are engaged in higher cultivation of spiritual knowledge. A brāhmaṇa is supposed to devote his whole life to understanding Brahman. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ: one who knows Brahman is called a brāhmaṇa. Thus charity is offered to the brāhmaṇas because they are always engaged in higher spiritual service and have no time to earn their livelihood. In the Vedic literature, charity is also to be awarded to one in the renounced order of life, the sannyāsī. The sannyāsīs beg from door to door, not for money but for missionary purposes. The system is that they go from door to door to awaken the householders from the slumber of ignorance. Because the householders are engaged in family affairs and have forgotten their actual purpose in life – awakening their Kṛṣṇa consciousness – it is the business of the sannyāsīs to go as beggars to the householders and encourage them to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. As it is said in the Vedas, one should awake and achieve what is due him in this human form of life. This knowledge and method is distributed by the sannyāsīs; hence charity is to be given to the renouncer of life, to the brāhmaṇas, and similar good causes, not to any whimsical cause. Yaśas, fame, should be according to Lord Caitanya, who said that a man is famous when he is known as a great devotee. That is real fame. If one has become a great man in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and it is known, then he is truly famous. One who does not have such fame is infamous. All these qualities are manifest throughout the universe in human society and in the society of the demigods. There are many forms of humanity on other planets, and these qualities are there. Now, for one who wants to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa creates all these qualities, but the person develops them himself from within. One who engages in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord develops all the good qualities, as arranged by the Supreme Lord. Of whatever we find, good or bad, the origin is Kṛṣṇa. Nothing can manifest itself in this material world which is not in Kṛṣṇa. That is knowledge; although we know that things are differently situated, we should realize that everything flows from Kṛṣṇa.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Translation
Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt and delusion, forgiveness, truthfulness, control of the senses, control of the mind, happiness and distress, birth, death, fear, fearlessness, nonviolence, equanimity, satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame and infamy‑‑all these various qualities of living beings are created by Me alone. (com) Previous verse, those who know Me become free from birth, death, and sins. Now how He's. Visvanath: "Even those who know sastra can't know Me simply by intelligence. Why? Because buddhi‑jnana are from mode of goodness and I am beyond modes and goodness cannot approach Me." Buddhi means intelligence ‑ capacity to understand subtle meaning. Like an inner sense (gross senses see outward) .Intelligence can see subtle, subtle meaning. Jnanam knowledge which refers to discrimination between soul and matter. Asamoha‑ free from agitation, doesn't become bewildered. "These are needed but is sufficient in acquiring knowledge of Me (Krsna). They are like causes, but not in and of themselves. I can't be know by these things." (These three from text 3 are needed to know something, but they are not enough to know Krsna. Why? Because He is their source. Other qualities are mentioned as a matter of course. Ksema‑forgiveness, have capacity to repent to hurt but doesn't. Satya‑truthfulness, speaking truthfully (mind, speech and action all the same). Dama‑ control external senses. Sama‑ control internal senses, especially mind. All from mode of goodness. Sukkam‑ depending on modes ‑ Dukham‑ fear comes from mode of ignorance. abhaya from knowledge from goodness (also brings fearlessness) Fearlessness can also be in other modes. Santa‑ see equality everywhere ‑ only possible from spiritual platform, goodness. Ahimsa‑ also comes from goodness, not give violence mentally or physically to any living entity. Tusti‑ satisfaction, can be without attributes or with. Without cause goodness, with cause passion. Tapa‑ austerity, perform certain activities, in goodness or passion. Dhana‑ charity, possess and give, in goodness or passion. Fame and infamy ‑ fame ‑ welfare for others, passion (name and fame) or goodness. "All these attributes come from Me (My maya) and therefore one cannot know Me by the help of these things." Gita Bhusan He explains adi, how He is the source of everything. Now Krsna explains those qualities that He is the source of. Satya ‑ for benefit of others. If it causes harm to others it is not truthfulness. Priyam means pleasing and beneficial. Dama ‑ control senses Sama ‑ control mind Tusti ‑ satisfied by one's fate Tapa ‑ acceptance misery accordinng to sastra Fame ‑ good deeds All qualities come from Krsna when Krsna awards.
Commentary

Because they are created by Krsna, they are not sufficient of themselves to know Him. Even the great sages and demigods cannot know Krsna because they are all born from Him.

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

The qualities born of goodness are helpful in knowing Kṛṣṇa and are awarded to devotees by Kṛṣṇa

Himself. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes: “All these qualities are manifest throughout the universe in human

society and in the society of the demigods. Now, for one who wants to advance in Kṛṣṇa con-

Bhagavad Gita Notes

sciousness, Kṛṣṇa creates all these qualities, but the person develops them himself from within. One

who engages in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord develops all the good qualities, as ar-

ranged by the Supreme Lord.”

Yet despite the helpfulness of these qualities, because they are born of goodness, they cannot on

their own reveal Kṛṣṇa, who is beyond the mode of goodness. Nor can the great sages and demi-

gods, who are born of Kṛṣṇa and are situated in goodness, know Kṛṣṇa through their own abilities.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains Kṛṣṇa’s words: “‘The knowers of śāstra cannot under-

stand the truth about Me by their own intelligence, because intelligence is born of goodness and

the other modes of māyā. So even though they originate from Me, the great sages and demigods

are incapable of understanding Me, who am beyond the modes.’”

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
10.4 See Commentary under 10.5.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
10.4 - 10.5 'Intelligence' is the power of the mind to determine. 'Knowledge' is the power of determining the difference between the two entities - non-sentient matter and the individual self. 'Non-delusion' is freedom from the delusion of perceiving as silver the mother-of-pearl etc., which are different from silver etc., previously observed. 'Forbearance', is a non-disturbed state of mind, even when there is a cause for getting disturbed. 'Truth' is speech about things as they are actually seen, and meant for the good of all beings. Here, the working of the mind in conformity with the ideal is intended, because the context is with reference to the working of the mind. 'Restraint' is the checking of the outgoing organs from their tendency to move towards their objects and generate evil. 'Self-control' is the restraint of the mind in the same manner. 'Pleasure' is the experience of what is agreeable to oneself. 'Pain' is th experience of what is adverse. 'Exaltation' is that state of elation of the mind caused by experiences which are agreeable to oneself. 'Depression' is the state of mind caused by disagreeable experiences. 'Fear' is the misery which springs from the perception of the cause of future sufferings. 'Fearlessness' is the absence of such feelings. 'Non-violence' is avoidance of being the cause of sorrow to others. 'Eability' is to become eable in mind whether good or bad befalls and to look upon with the same eanimity on what happens to oneself, friends and enemies. 'Cheerfulness' is the natural disposition to feel pleased with everything seen. 'Austerity' is the chastising of the body by denying to oneself pleasures, as enjoined by the scriptures. 'Beneficence' is giving to another what contributes to one's own enjoyment. 'Fame' is the renown of possessing good alities. 'Infamy' is notoriety of possessing bad alities. The workings of the mind which are in accordance with fame and infamy must be understood here, because it is the subject-matter of the context. Austerity and beneficence are to be understood in the same way. All these mental faculties - these functioning of the mind - resulting either in activity or inactivity, are from Me alone, i.e., are dependent on My volition. Sri Krsna declares: 'Thos agents who direct the creation, sustentation etc., of all beings, have their activity dependent on My Will.'
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
10.4 See Comment under 10.5
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
10.4 Intellect, wisdom, non-delusion, forgiveness, truth, self-restraint, calmness, happiness, pain, existence or birth, non-existence or death, fear and also fearlessness.
Commentary

10.4 बुद्धिः intellect? ज्ञानम् wisdom? असंमोहः nondelusion? क्षमा forgiveness? सत्यम् truth? दमः selfrestraint? शमः calmness? सुखम् happiness? दुःखम् pain? भवः birth or existence? अभावः nonexistence? भयम् fear? च and? अभयम् fearlessness? एव even? च and. Commentary Intellect is the power which the Antahkarana (the fourfold inner instrument -- the mind? the subconscious mind? intellect and egoism) has of understanding subtle objects. Wisdom is knowledge of the Self. Nondelusion is freedom from illusion. It consists in acting with discrimination when anything has to be done or kown at the moment. Patience is the nonagitation of the mind when assaulted or abused. Not thinking of any harm of evil for those who ahve assulted or abused is also patience. Patience is enduring without lamentation the three kinds of pains? Adhyatmika? Adhidaivika and Adhibhautika Taapas. Fever? etc.? is Adhyatmika pain. Pain or discomfort from severe cold? heat? too much rain? thunder? and lightning is Adhidaivika pain. Pain from scorpionsting? snakite? and wild animals is Adhibhautika pain.Satyam or truth is veracity. It is speaking of ones own actual or real experience of things as actually heard or seen. There is not the least twisting or exaggeration or the slightest modification of facts. Dama or selfrestraint is control of the external senses. It is withdrawal of the senses (ear? skin? eyes? tongue and nose) from their respective objects (viz.? sound? touch? form? palatable foods and fragrance). Sama is calmness or tranillity of the mind produced by checking the mind from thinking of external objects of the senses and by disconnecting it from the senses.Sukham Happiness. That which has Dharma or virtue as its chief cause and that which is favourable to all beings? is happiness. Duhkham That which has Adhrama as its cause and that which is unfavourable to all beings? is pain.That which appears is Bhavah. Sat is Bhavah. Asat or unreality is Abhavah.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
10.4 Intelligence, wisdom, non-delusion, forgiveness, truth, control of the external organs, control of the internal organs, happiness, sorrow, birth, death and fear as also fearlessness;
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
10.4 Intelligence, wisdom, non-illusion, forgiveness, truth, self-control, calmness, pleasure, pain, birth, death, fear and fearlessness;
Related values & verses
Primary values
Satya (Truthfulness)
Related values
Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Discriminative WisdomKshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)
Related verses
BG 13.8-12 BG 16.1-3 BG 12.13-19 SB 1.16.26-30 SB 11.19.36-39 SB 3.25.21 CC Madhya 22.78-80 CC Madhya 23.18-27 CC Madhya 8.58 Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.23BRS 1.2.187
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt, forgiveness, truthfulness, sense control, peace, pleasure and pain, birth and death, fear and fearlessness, nonviolence, equanimity, satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame, infamy — all these qualities of beings come from Me alone.
Practical Applications
  • Trace your virtues back to their source — Kṛṣṇa.
  • Don't claim authorship of your own qualities.
  • Use this verse as a humbling daily contemplation.
Reflection Questions
  • Which quality am I still claiming as 'mine'?
  • How does its actual source change my use of it?
Analogy

A single sun behind a cloud-deck still produces every distinct shade of grey, white, gold, and rose that you see on the underside of the clouds. So the one Kṛṣṇa is the source of every contradictory pair we live among — intelligence and ignorance, happiness and distress, fame and infamy — all colors thrown by one light.

Stories
Yudhiṣṭhira's truthfulness

Of the qualities listed in this verse, satyam — truthfulness — was Yudhiṣṭhira's badge. He was called Dharma-rāja because the truth lived in his speech as a daily discipline, not as a slogan.

When Kṛṣṇa instructed him to say the half-truth about Aśvatthāmā on the battlefield, the chariot — which had floated four fingers above the ground because of his integrity — sank to the earth at once. The story shows that satyam is Kṛṣṇa's own quality on loan; the moment its proprietor was not honored, the gift withdrew its support.

Bhīṣma's kṣamā

On the bed of arrows, having every right to curse those who had pierced him, Bhīṣma instead spoke calmly of dharma to Yudhiṣṭhira for many days. Kṣamā — forgiveness — was the breath of his final teaching.

This verse traces that capacity back to its true owner: Kṛṣṇa Himself was the source from whom Bhīṣma's forgiveness flowed. The grandsire was the channel; the verse names the spring.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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