Chapter 13, Verse 8 (Bhagavad Gita 13.8)
Sanskrit Shloka
अमानित्वमदम्भित्वमहिंसा क्षान्तिरार्जवम्।आचार्योपासनं शौचं स्थैर्यमात्मविनिग्रहः
Transliteration
amānitvam adambhitvam ahinsā kṣhāntir ārjavam āchāryopāsanaṁ śhauchaṁ sthairyam ātma-vinigrahaḥ
Word Meanings
amānitvam—humbleness; adambhitvam—freedom from hypocrisy; ahinsā—non-violence; kṣhāntiḥ—forgiveness; ārjavam—simplicity; āchārya-upāsanam—service of the Guru; śhaucham—cleanliness of body and mind; sthairyam—steadfastness; ātma-vinigrahaḥ—self-control;
Translation
Humility, unpretentiousness, non-violence, forgiveness, uprightness, service to the spiritual master, purity, steadfastness, and self-control.
Meaning & Commentary
In this verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna delineates the foundational virtues that constitute true knowledge, leading the seeker toward the realization of the soul. By practicing these qualities, one begins to dissolve the ego, allowing the radiance of the Supreme Lord to shine within the heart. Shri Krishna teaches Arjuna that these are not merely social etiquettes, but the essential conditions for attaining liberation from the cycle of birth and death. As one embraces this discipline, they move closer to the eternal truth of their own identity as a servant of the Divine. Through these divine virtues, the practitioner purifies their consciousness to perceive the presence of Shri Krishna in all living beings.