Bhagavad Gita BG 18.58
Chapter 18, Verse 58 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि । अथ चेत्त्वमहङ्कारान् न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि ॥
mac-cittah sarva-durgani mat-prasadat tarishyasi atha cet tvam ahankarat na shroshyasi vinankshyasi
Meaning
With your mind on Me, you shall cross all obstacles by My grace. But if from ego you will not listen, you shall perish.
Understanding
The two paths: mac-cittah (mind fixed on Krishna) + mat-prasadat (by His grace) → sarva-durgani tarishyasi (will cross all difficulties/obstacles — durgani = difficult places, obstacles). OR: ahankarat na shroshyasi (from ego you will not listen — 'n-a shroshyasi' is the specific word: will not HEAR, will not listen/obey) → vinankshyasi (you shall perish/be destroyed). The contrast is stark: grace-path leads through all obstacles; ego-path leads to destruction. The obstacle is not Arjuna's enemies on the battlefield but the ego (ahankara) that refuses to hear the teaching. The battleground is internal.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| दुर्गाणि | durgani | obstacles, difficult passages, impenetrable difficulties |
| तरिष्यसि | tarishyasi | you will cross over, you will traverse |
| अहङ्कारात् | ahankarat | from ego, because of ego (ahankara = I-maker) |
| श्रोष्यसि | shroshyasi | you will listen, you will hear (negative: will not listen) |
| विनङ्क्ष्यसि | vinankshyasi | you shall perish, you will be destroyed |
| मत्-चित्तः | mat-cittaḥ | with mind on Me |
| सर्व-दुर्गाणि | sarva-durgāṇi | all obstacles |
| मत्-प्रसादात् | mat-prasādāt | by My grace |
| तरिष्यसि | tariṣyasi | you will cross over |
| अथ | atha cet | but if |
| त्वम् | tvam | you |
| अहंकारात् | ahaṅkārāt | from pride, from ego |
| न | na śroṣyasi | do not listen |
| विनंक्ष्यसि | vinaṅkṣyasi | you will perish |