Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 30 (18.30)

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये । बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी | | १८-३० | |

pravṛittiṁ cha nivṛittiṁ cha kāryākārye bhayābhaye bandhaṁ mokṣhaṁ cha yā vetti buddhiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī

Word-by-word guide:

Line 1:

प्रव्रित्तिम् (pravrittim) — मैं करो नहीं समझना आपके उद्देश्य(active path (engagement))
च (cha) — और(and)
इइइ (nivrittim) — त्याग(contemplative path (renunciation))
च (cha) — और(and)
कः (kah) — कौन(who)
य (yā) — य(which)
कः (kah) — कौन(who)
ye joined in kāryākārye
ba joined in bhayābhaye
य (yā) — य(which)
baye joined in bhayābhaye

Line 2:

बध (bandham) — बध(bondage)
ओक्ष (mokṣham) — ओक्ष(liberation)
च (cha) — और(and)
य (yā) — य(which)
वेत्ति (vetti) — जानना(knows)
बुद्धिः (buddhiḥ) — बुद्धि(intellect)
सः (sā) — वह(that)
पार्थ (Partha) — हे पार्थ(Arjuna)
सइइ (sāttvikī) — सइइ(pure/in clarity)

English: That intellect which understands the creation and dissolution of life, what actions should be done and what not, which discriminates between fear and fearlessness, being trapped and deliverance, that is Pure.

💡 Commentary Note

A Sattvik intellect correctly distinguishes between constructive and destructive actions, duty and non-duty, fear and courage, bondage and freedom.

Learnings from Shloka 30:

Wise Discrimination:: The capacity to make correct moral decisions is a sign of a pure intellect.
Path to Freedom:: A clear intellect understands what leads to mental peace and what binds us.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 18.30 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary

← Previous Verse Next Verse →

Back to Chapter Index