Bhagavad Gita BG 10.5
Chapter 10, Verse 5 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अहिंसा समता तुष्टिः तपो दानं यशोऽयशः । भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः ॥
ahimsa samata tushtih tapo danam yasho 'yashah bhavanti bhava bhutanam matta eva prthag-vidhah
Meaning
Non-violence (ahimsa), equanimity (samata), contentment (tushtih), austerity (tapas), charity (danam), fame (yashas), and infamy (ayashas) — the various states of beings all arise from Me alone.
Understanding
The second half of the list: ahimsa (non-violence — the foundation of dharmic life), samata (equanimity, seeing all as equal), tushtih (contentment, inner satisfaction), tapas (austerity, disciplined restraint), danam (charity, giving), yashas (fame/good reputation), ayashas (infamy/bad reputation). Then the grand conclusion: bhavanti bhava bhutanam mattah eva prthag-vidhah — the various states (bhavah) of beings (bhutanam) all arise (bhavanti) from Me (mattah) alone. Every virtue, every ethical quality, every inner state — divine in origin, arising from the one Supreme. This makes all dharmic practice a participation in the Divine nature.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अहिंसा | ahimsa | non-violence, harmlessness (a + himsa = not harming) |
| समता | samata | equanimity, evenness, seeing all equally |
| तुष्टिः | tushtih | contentment, inner satisfaction |
| यशः अयशः | yashah ayashah | fame and infamy, honor and dishonor |
| पृथग्विधाः | prthag-vidhah | of various kinds, manifold, diverse |
| अहिंसा | ahiṃsā | non-violence |
| समता | samatā | equanimity |
| तुष्टिः | tuṣṭiḥ | contentment |
| तपः | tapaḥ | austerity |
| दानम् | dānam | charity |
| यशः | yaśaḥ | fame, glory |
| अयशः | ayaśaḥ | infamy, disgrace |
| भवन्ति | bhavanti | arise, exist |
| भावाः | bhāvāḥ | states of being |
| भूतानाम् | bhūtānām | of beings |
| मत्तः | mattaḥ | from Me |
| एव | eva | alone |
| पृथग्-विधाः | pṛthag-vidhāḥ | various, of different kinds |