Chapter 5, Verse 22
Karma Sanyasa Yoga — Sanskrit shloka, transliteration, word meanings, English translation, and commentary.
Original Sanskrit verse
Transliteration
Word meanings
ye—which; hi—verily; sansparśha-jāḥ—born of contact with the sense objects; bhogāḥ—pleasures; duḥkha—misery; yonayaḥ—source of; eva—verily; te—they are; ādya-antavantaḥ—having beginning and end; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; na—never; teṣhu—in those; ramate—takes delight; budhaḥ—the wise
English translation
The enjoyments that arise from contact are only sources of pain, for they have a beginning and an end, O Arjuna; the wise do not rejoice in them.
— Swami Sivananda
Listen to Shloka 5.22
Commentary
Man goes in est of joy and searches in the external perishable objects for his happiness. He fails to get it but instead he carries a load of sorrow on his head. You should withdraw the senses from the senseobjects as there is no trace of happiness in them and fix the min on the immortal; blissful Self within. The senseobjects have a beginning and an end. Separation from the senseobjects gives you a lot of pain. During the interval between the origin and the end you experience a hollow; momentary; illusory pleasure. This fleeting pleasure is due to Avidya or ignorance. Even in the other world you will have the same experience. He who is endowed with discrimination or the knowledge of the Self will never rejoice in these sensual objects. Only ignorant persons who are passionate will rejoice in the senseobjects. (Cf. II.14; XVIII.38)
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
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