Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 3 › Verse 43
Bhagavad Gītā 3.43: Defeat the hidden enemy
एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना ।
जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् ॥
evaṃ buddheḥ paraṃ buddhvā saṃstabhyātmānamātmanā
jahi śatruṃ mahābāho kāmarūpaṃ durāsadam
Recitation: Smt. Srividya Jaishankar and Sri. Jaishankar Narayanan, Aarsha Vidya Varshini Gurukulam · used with permission, adapted, original recording
Meaning
Thus knowing that which is beyond the intellect, and steadying the self by the Self, slay, O mighty-armed, the enemy in the form of desire, hard to conquer. The chapter closes where Arjuna’s question (3.36) pointed: desire is mastered not by force alone but from the standpoint of the Self, which it cannot reach.
For children
Krishna says: “Now you know the real you is the strongest. So stay calm and strong inside, and beat the greedy wanting!”
The last verse of chapter 3 completes Kṛṣṇa’s answer to Arjuna’s question in 3.36.
Word by word
एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा — So, knowing what is higher than understanding
- evam: thus
- buddheḥ: than the intellect
- para: higher
- buddhvā: knowing
संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना — and steadying yourself by your true Self
- saṃstabhya: steadying
- ātmānam: the self (the mind)
- ātmanā: by the Self
जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो — defeat the enemy, mighty Arjuna
- jahi: defeat!
- śatru: enemy
- mahābāho: O mighty-armed (Arjuna)
कामरूपं दुरासदम् — desire, so hard to overcome
- kāmarūpa: in the form of desire
- durāsada: hard to overcome
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.