Bhagavad Gita BG 2.70
Chapter 2, Verse 70 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् । तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी ॥ ७० ॥
āpūryamāṇam acala-pratiṣṭhaṃ samudram āpaḥ praviśanti yadvat tadvat kāmā yaṃ praviśanti sarve sa śāntim āpnoti na kāma-kāmī
Meaning
A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires — that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still — can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires.
Understanding
The ocean analogy — one of the Gita's most celebrated images. The ocean is 'āpūryamāṇam' (always being filled by rivers) yet 'acala-pratiṣṭham' (immovably established, unshaken). Rivers pour in constantly — yet the ocean does not overflow, is not disturbed, remains vast and still. The person of steady wisdom is like this: desires ('kāmā') pour in from all directions — yet the person remains undisturbed, vast, still. Peace ('śānti') belongs to this person, not to the 'kāma-kāmī' (one who craves desires).
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| आपूर्यमाणम् | āpūryamāṇam | always being filled / continuously receiving |
| अचलप्रतिष्ठम् | acala-pratiṣṭham | immovably established / unshakably steady |
| समुद्रम् | samudram | ocean / sea |
| आपः | āpaḥ | waters / rivers |
| कामाः | kāmāḥ | desires |
| शान्तिम् आप्नोति | śāntim āpnoti | attains peace |
| कामकामी | kāma-kāmī | one who craves desires / one who desires desires |
| यद्वत् | yadvat | just as / like (simile marker) |
| तद्वत् | tadvat | similarly / in the same way |
| यम् | yam | whom / the person who (receives desires) |
| प्रविशन्ति | praviśanti | enter / flow into |
| सर्वे | sarve | all (desires) |
| सः | saḥ | he (that undisturbed person) |
| न | na | not (kāmakāmī does not attain peace) |