Bhagavad Gita BG 2.14
Chapter 2, Verse 14 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः । आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥ १४ ॥
mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ āgamāpāyino 'nityās tāṃs titikṣasva bhārata
Meaning
O son of Kunti, the contact of the senses with their objects — which gives rise to cold and heat, pleasure and pain — has a beginning and an end. They are impermanent; endure them, O Bharata.
Understanding
The Gita's teaching on toleration of opposites. Sense experiences — pleasure and pain, heat and cold — arise from contact (sparśa) between senses and objects (mātrā-sparśāḥ). They come and go (āgamāpāyinaḥ) — they are impermanent (anityāḥ). The instruction is 'titikṣasva' — endure them, bear them patiently. Not to eliminate or deny experience, but to not be ruled by it. This is the beginning of the teaching on equanimity.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| मात्रास्पर्शाः | mātrā-sparśāḥ | contacts of the senses with their objects |
| शीतोष्ण | śītoṣṇa | cold and heat |
| आगमापायिनः | āgamāpāyinaḥ | coming and going / having beginning and end |
| अनित्याः | anityāḥ | impermanent / transient |
| तितिक्षस्व | titikṣasva | endure / tolerate / bear patiently |
| तु | tu | but / however (particle) |
| कौन्तेय | kaunteya | O son of Kunti (Arjuna) |
| सुखदुःखदाः | sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ | givers of pleasure and pain |
| तान् | tān | them / those (sense contacts) |
| भारत | bhārata | O Bharata (Arjuna, descendant of Bharata) |