Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 48 (2.48)
Reflective Prompt:
Now imagine the exam result is exactly what you hoped for. How should you behave?
- ▪ Option 1: Celebrate so much that pride takes over.
- ▪ Option 2: Be grateful, stay humble, and keep learning. Can success disturb the mind just as much as failure?
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 48 (2.48)
योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय । सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते | | २-४८ | |
yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjaya siddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṁ yoga uchyate
Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
- ओग-थ
(Yoga-sthah)— योग(established in yoga) - कुरु
(kuru)— कर्म(perform actions) - कर्माणि
(karmani)— कर्म(perform actions) - सङ्गम्
(sangam)— आसक्ति(giving up attachment) - यव
(tyaktva)— यव(giving up attachment) - धनञ्जय
(Dhananjaya)— हे धनञ्जय अर्जुन(addresses Arjuna)
Line 2:
-
siddjoined in siddhyasiddhyoḥ - यः
(yah)— जो(who) -
iddjoined in siddhyasiddhyoḥ - यः
(yah)— जो(who) -
hjoined in siddhyasiddhyoḥ - सओ
(samo)— सओ(being equal in success and failure) - भूत्वा
(bhutva)— होकर(being equal in success and failure) - समव
(samatvam)— योग(equanimity is called yoga) - ओग
(yoga)— योग(equanimity is called yoga) - उच्यते
(uchyate)— योग(equanimity is called yoga)
English: Established in yoga, Arjuna should act without being stuck and remain even-minded in success and failure.
Learnings from Shloka 48:
- Do the work steadily: Krishna asks Arjuna to act while giving up attachment.
- Stay even-minded: Success and failure should not control inner balance.
- Yoga means balance: Samatva, evenness of mind, is presented as yoga.
Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz
Practice this shloka vocabularyMatch Sanskrit words from shloka 2.48 with their Hindi and English meanings.
Practice vocabulary
**Practice Point:** Krishna does not only ask us to handle failure well. He also asks us to handle success well. Both success and failure can pull the mind away from balance.