Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 2 › Verse 68
Bhagavad Gītā 2.68: Senses held back
तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
tasmādyasya mahābāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyastasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
Therefore, O mighty-armed, one whose senses are completely restrained from their objects has wisdom that is firmly established. Kṛṣṇa calls Arjuna “mighty-armed”: the real strength asked of him is inner.
For children
Krishna tells strong Arjuna: “If you can hold your senses back when they want to run off, your good sense will stay strong and steady.”
Kṛṣṇa draws the conclusion of 2.67: the steady person keeps the senses from chasing their objects. The last line repeats the end of 2.61.
Word by word
तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो — So, mighty Arjuna, one whose
- tasmāt: therefore
- yasya: whose
- mahābāho: mighty-armed one (Arjuna)
निगृहीतानि सर्वशः — senses are fully held back
- nigṛhīta: held back, restrained
- sarvaśaḥ: completely
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस् — from the things they chase
- indriya: sense
- indriyārtha: objects of the senses
तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता — that person’s wisdom stands firm
- tasya: that person’s
- 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.