Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 2 › Verse 66
Bhagavad Gītā 2.66: Where joy comes from
नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना ।
न चाभावयतः शान्तिरशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम् ॥
nāsti buddhirayuktasya na cāyuktasya bhāvanā
na cābhāvayataḥ śāntiraśāntasya kutaḥ sukham
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
For the undisciplined there is no wisdom, and no contemplation; for one without contemplation there is no peace, and for one without peace, how can there be happiness? The verse traces happiness back, step by step, to a steadied mind.
For children
Krishna says: “If your mind jumps around all the time, you can’t feel peaceful. And without peace, it’s hard to feel truly happy.”
Kṛṣṇa contrasts the steady person with the unsteady one, showing why self-control matters for happiness.
Word by word
नास्ति बुद्धिरयुक्तस्य — An unsteady mind has no wisdom
- na asti: there is not
- buddhi: wisdom, understanding
- ayukta: unsteady, undisciplined
न चायुक्तस्य भावना — and no steady focus either
- ca: and
- bhāvanā: steady focus, contemplation
न चाभावयतः शान्तिर् — without focus there is no peace
- abhāvayat: one without focus
- śānti: peace
अशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम् — and without peace, how can there be joy?
- aśānta: one without peace
- kutaḥ: from where, how
- sukha: happiness, joy
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.