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Bhagavad Gita 18.30 meaningLetting go — and standing up

In simple wordsSo simple a child gets it

“Clear understanding knows when to act, when to stop, and what is safe.”

What it means

“Understanding that knows when to act and when to step back, what to do and what to avoid, what to fear and what not to fear, what binds and what frees — that is clear.”

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The original Sanskrit

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये । बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ॥

pravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ ca kāryākārye bhayābhaye bandhaṃ mokṣaṃ ca yā vetti buddhiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī

Translations

Literal translation

O Partha, that intellect is born of sattva which understands action and withdrawal, duty and what is not duty, the sources of fear and fearlessness, and bondage and freedom.

Swami Gambhirananda

हिंदी अनुवाद

हे पार्थ ! जो बुद्धि प्रवृत्ति और निवृत्ति, कार्य और अकार्य, भय और अभय तथा बन्ध और मोक्ष को तत्त्वत जानती है, वह बुद्धि सात्विकी है।

Swami Tejomayananda

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Commentaries

How great teachers across 1,200 years have explained this verse.

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Keep reading · 18.31“Understanding that confuses right and wrong, and what should and shouldn't be done, is restless.”