Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 2 › Verse 55
Bhagavad Gītā 2.55: Content within
प्रजहाति यदा कामान्सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् ।
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते ॥
prajahāti yadā kāmānsarvānpārtha manogatān
ātmanyevātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñastadocyate
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
When one gives up all desires that have entered the mind, O Pārtha, and is satisfied in the self by the self, then one is called steady in wisdom. The first mark of the sthita-prajña is inner contentment that does not depend on objects of desire.
For children
Krishna says: “A wise person doesn’t always need more and more. They feel happy inside, just as they are.”
Kṛṣṇa begins his answer to Arjuna’s question (2.54) with the first mark of steady wisdom.
Word by word
प्रजहाति यदा कामान् — When a person lets go of the desires
- prajahāti: gives up completely
- kāma: desire
सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् — all of them in the mind, Arjuna
- sarva: all
- manogata: in the mind
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः — and is content in the self, by the self
- ātman: the self
- tuṣṭa: content, satisfied
स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते — then they are called steady in wisdom
- sthitaprajña: steady in wisdom
- ucyate: is called
Kṛṣṇa speaks this verse. The Sanskrit is checked against four editions; meanings and word notes are simple learning aids written for MahaPrabha Gurukul, awaiting review by a Sanskrit teacher.