Bhagavad Gita BG 2.64
Chapter 2, Verse 64 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् । आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ॥ ६४ ॥
rāga-dveṣa-viyuktais tu viṣayān indriyaiś caran ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati
Meaning
But the self-controlled person, moving among the objects of the senses with senses free from attraction and aversion and under his own command, attains serenity.
Understanding
The positive alternative to the chain of ruin: moving among sense objects ('caran viṣayān') but doing so with senses freed from attachment (rāga) and aversion (dveṣa), and with senses 'ātma-vaśyaiḥ' — under the control of the self. Such a person is 'vidheyātmā' — one whose self is well-controlled — and attains 'prasāda' — grace, serenity, clarity. The teaching: it is not engagement with the world that is the problem but the presence of rāga and dveṣa while engaging.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| रागद्वेषवियुक्तैः | rāga-dveṣa-viyuktaiḥ | free from attachment and aversion |
| विषयान् चरन् | viṣayān caran | moving among sense objects |
| आत्मवश्यैः | ātma-vaśyaiḥ | under the control of the self |
| विधेयात्मा | vidheyātmā | one whose self is well-controlled / self-disciplined |
| प्रसादम् | prasādam | grace / serenity / clarity / peace |
| अधिगच्छति | adhigacchati | attains / reaches / obtains |
| तु | tu | but / however (contrast with previous verses) |
| इन्द्रियैः | indriyaiḥ | with / through the senses |