Chapter 3, Verse 43
Karma Yoga — Sanskrit shloka, transliteration, word meanings, English translation, and commentary.
Original Sanskrit verse
Transliteration
Word meanings
evam—thus; buddheḥ—than the intellect; param—superior; buddhvā—knowing; sanstabhya—subdue; ātmānam—the lower self (senses, mind, and intellect); ātmanā—by higher self (soul); jahi—kill; śhatrum—the enemy; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; kāma-rūpam—in the form of desire; durāsadam—formidable
English translation
Thus, knowing Him who is superior to the intellect and restraining the self by the Self, slay thou, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the enemy in the form of desire, hard to conquer.
— Swami Sivananda
Listen to Shloka 3.43
Commentary
Restrain the lower self by the higher Self. Subdue the lower mind by the higher mind. It is difficult to coner desire because it is of a highly complex and incomprehensible nature. But a man of discrimination and dispassion who does constant and intense Sadhana can coner it quite easily. Desire is the ality of Rajas. If you increase the Sattvic ality in you; you can coner desire. Rajas cannot stand before Sattva. Even though desire is hard to coner; it is not impossible. The simple and direct method is to appeal to the Indwelling Presence (God) through prayer and Japa. Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita; the science of the Eternal; the scripture of Yoga; the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna; ends the third discourse entitledThe Yoga of Action.
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
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