Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 39 (18.39)

यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः । निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् | | १८-३९ | |

yadagre chānubandhe cha sukhaṁ mohanamātmanaḥ nidrālasyapramādotthaṁ tattāmasamudāhṛitam

Word-by-word guide:

Line 1:

यद् (yad) — जो कुछ था कहा गया असंयम से(which)
अए (agre) — अए(at first)
c joined in chānubandhe
अउबए (anubandhe) — अउबए(in the end)
च (cha) — और(and)
सुखम् (sukham) — सुख(pleasure)
मोहनम् (mohanam) — मोहित करने वाला(deluding)
आत्मनः (atmanaḥ) — अपने(of the self)

Line 2:

nidralasy joined in nidrālasyapramādotthaṁ
अपि (api) — भी(also)
ra joined in nidrālasyapramādotthaṁ
माम् (mam) — मुझको(Me)
dottam joined in nidrālasyapramādotthaṁ
तत् (tat) — वह(that)
तामसम् (tāmasam) — तामसिक(ignorant)
उदह्रितम् (udahritam) — कहा गया(is declared)

English: While the pleasure which from first to last merely drugs the senses, which springs from laziness, lethargy and folly - that pleasure flows from lack of understanding.

💡 Commentary Note

Tamasik happiness arises from sleep, laziness, and neglecting duties. It deludes the soul from beginning to end.

Learnings from Shloka 39:

False Comfort:: Seeking happiness in excessive sleep, laziness, or ignoring responsibilities is a delusion.
Dullness of Soul:: Tamasik comfort keeps the consciousness bound to lower states of evolution.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 18.39 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary

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