Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 2 › Verse 58
Bhagavad Gītā 2.58: Like a tortoise
यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
yadā saṃharate cāyaṃ kūrmo'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
When one completely withdraws the senses from their objects, as a tortoise draws in its limbs, wisdom is firmly established. The image is of voluntary withdrawal: the tortoise can extend its limbs again at will, as the wise engage the world by choice, not compulsion.
For children
Krishna says: “A tortoise can pull its head and legs into its shell when it wants. A wise person can pull their eyes and ears back from things that distract them.”
Kṛṣṇa continues describing the person of steady wisdom, now in terms of mastery over the senses.
Word by word
यदा संहरते चायं — When a person can draw back
- saṃharate: draws in, withdraws
कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः — as a tortoise draws in its limbs
- kūrma: tortoise
- aṅga: limb
- iva: like
- sarvaśaḥ: completely
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस् — the senses from what pulls at them
- indriya: sense
- indriyārtha: object of the senses
तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता — their wisdom is firmly set
- prajñā: wisdom
- pratiṣṭhita: firmly established
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.