Chapter 2, Verse 69 (Bhagavad Gita 2.69)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी। यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः
Transliteration
yā niśhā sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti sanyamī yasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśhā paśhyato muneḥ
Word Meanings
yā—which; niśhā—night; sarva-bhūtānām—of all living beings; tasyām—in that; jāgarti—is awake; sanyamī—self-controlled; yasyām—in which; jāgrati—are awake; bhūtāni—creatures; sā—that; niśhā—night; paśhyataḥ—see; muneḥ—sage
Translation
What is night for all beings, in that the self-controlled person is awake; and when all beings are awake, that is night for the sage who sees.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse illustrates the radical inversion of perception between the worldly individual and the realized soul. While the ordinary person is consumed by the 'daylight' of sensory pursuits, material desires, and external phenomena, the sage finds this realm to be a darkness of ignorance. Conversely, the inner spiritual reality, which remains obscure and 'night-like' to the worldly mind, is the realm where the sage is fully awake and alert. This teaching encourages us to transcend our limited perspective and realize that true awareness lies in detaching from fleeting worldly illusions to find the eternal light of the Self. Ultimately, it calls for a transformation in consciousness where one stops living for the senses and begins living from the depths of inner wisdom.