Chapter 18, Verse 37 (Bhagavad Gita 18.37)
Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyās Yog – Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender
Sanskrit Shloka
यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम्।तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम्
Transliteration
yat tad agre viṣam iva pariṇāme 'mṛtopamam tat sukhaṁ sāttvikaṁ proktam ātma-buddhi-prasāda-jam
Word Meanings
yat—that which; tat—that; agre—in the beginning; viṣam iva—like poison; pariṇāme—at the end; amṛta—nectar; upamam—compared to; tat—that; sukham—happiness; sāttvikam—in the mode of goodness; proktam—is said; ātma—self; buddhi—intelligence; prasāda-jam—satisfactory.
Translation
That which in the beginning is like poison, but in the end is like nectar—that happiness is declared to be sattvic, born of the clarity of one’s own mind due to self-realization.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound revelation, Bhagwan Shri Krishna instructs Arjuna on the nature of divine joy that transcends mere sensory gratification. This sattvic happiness often requires the initial, difficult discipline of restraining the senses and ego, which feels like poison to the worldly mind. However, because this path is rooted in self-realization and the grace of the Supreme Lord, it blossoms into an eternal, nectar-like bliss. Shri Krishna invites every seeker to undergo this internal purification, shifting from transient pleasures to the permanent state of soul-awareness. By aligning with His eternal will, one attains the true liberation that only the Supreme Lord can bestow.