Bhagavad Gita · Jnana Vijnana YogaChapter 7, Shloka 11 (7.11)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम्
धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ
॥ 7.11 ॥
balaṃ balavatāṃ cāhaṃ kāmarāgavivarjitam
dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo'smi bharatarṣabha
Translation
"O best of the Bharatas, I am the strength of the strong that is free of craving and attachment; and in beings I am the desire (kama) that does not go against dharma."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. Balaṃ sāmarthyam ojaḥ … kāma-rāga-vivarjitam — kāmaḥ tṛṣṇā asaṃnikṛṣṭeṣu viṣayeṣu, rāgo rañjanā prāpteṣu viṣayeṣu — kama = thirst for things not at hand; raga = being coloured by (clinging to) things already obtained; free of these, deha-ādi-dhāraṇa-mātrārthaṃ balaṃ sattvam — strength just enough to sustain the body and so on; na tu yat saṃsāriṇāṃ tṛṣṇā-rāga-kāraṇam — not the strength of worldly people that is driven by thirst and attachment. Dharmāviruddhaḥ dharmeṇa śāstrārthena aviruddho yaḥ prāṇiṣu bhūteṣu kāmaḥ yathā deha-dhāraṇa-mātrādy-arthaḥ aśana-pānādi-viṣayaḥ — desire not opposed to dharma (the scriptures) — such as eating and drinking to sustain the body.
Acharya Ramanuja (7.8–7.11 combined) — ete sarve vilakṣaṇā bhāvā matta eva utpannāḥ mac-cheṣa-bhūtā mac-charīratayā mayi eva avasthitāḥ ataḥ tat-prakāraḥ aham eva avasthitaḥ
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.