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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 71 (2.71)

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 71 (2.71)

विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः । निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः स शान्तिमधिगच्छति | | २-७१ | |

vihāya kāmānyaḥ sarvānpumāṁśhcharati niḥspṛihaḥ nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ sa śhāntimadhigachchhati

Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
  • इहय (Vihaya) — कामना(giving up all desires)
  • कम (kaman) — कामना(giving up all desires)
  • यः (yah) — जो(who)
  • सर्वान् (sarvan) — कामना(giving up all desires)
  • उम (puman) — पुरुष(a person moves or lives)
  • s joined in sarvānpumāṁśhcharati
  • चरइ (charati) — पुरुष(a person moves or lives)
  • इइह (nihsprihah) — इइह(without craving)
Line 2:
  • निर्ममह् (nirmamah) — फ्री से सेल्फिश्नेस्स्(without mine-ness)
  • निरहन्करह् (nirahankarah) — फ्री से एगोइस्म्(without ego)
  • सः (sah) — शांति(that one attains peace)
  • शान्तिम् (shantim) — शांति(that one attains peace)
  • अइगहइ (adhigachchhati) — शांति(that one attains peace)

English: One who abandons all wants and moves without craving, possessiveness, or ego reaches peace.

💡 Commentary Note

Krishna says peace comes to the person who gives up possessiveness, ego, and craving. This is not lifelessness; it is freedom from the constant demand that life satisfy every desire.

The verse summarizes the path to inner peace: act, live, and relate without being owned by "mine" and "I am the controller."

Learnings from Shloka 71:
  • Needs support life and duty:: Food, shelter, health, learning, and basic responsibilities help us live and serve well.
  • Wants can grow endlessly:: Comforts, upgrades, praise, and comparison can keep multiplying if the mind is not watchful.
  • Craving creates restlessness:: When desire becomes the driver, peace depends on getting the next thing.
  • Self-control creates choice:: A steady person can use things without being used by them.
  • Peace comes from non-possessiveness:: Krishna connects peace with living without craving, "mine-ness," and ego.
Needs versus wants chart showing necessities and comforts

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 2.71 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary