Bhagavad Gita · Karma YogaChapter 3, Shloka 43 (3.43)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्याऽऽत्मानमात्मना
जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम्
॥ 3.43 ॥
evaṃ buddheḥ paraṃ buddhvā saṃstabhyā''tmānamātmanā
jahi śatruṃ mahābāho kāmarūpaṃ durāsadam
Translation
"Thus, knowing what is beyond the buddhi, steadying your mind by yourself, O mighty-armed one, slay this enemy in the form of desire, so hard to conquer."
Interpretation
Three steps. (1) Buddheḥ paraṃ buddhvā — know what is beyond the buddhi; (2) saṃstabhyātmānam ātmanā — steady yourself by yourself; (3) jahi śatrum — slay the enemy.
"Buddheḥ param" — two readings, following 3.42:
- Shankaracharya: buddheḥ param ātmānaṃ buddhvā — knowing the self, which is beyond the buddhi. Durāsadam = duḥkhena āsadaḥ … durvijñeyāneka-viśeṣam — hard to grasp, its many forms hard to know.
- Acharya Ramanuja: buddheḥ api paraṃ kāmaṃ jñāna-virodhinaṃ vairiṇaṃ buddhvā — knowing desire, the enemy opposed to knowledge, more powerful than even the buddhi; ātmānaṃ manaḥ ātmanā buddhyā karma-yoge avasthāpya — steadying the mind in karma-yoga by means of the buddhi — destroy this enemy.
Shankara's close of the chapter: Shankaracharya's commentary on the third chapter ends here.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.