A declaration · reflective in mood · a little context helps
“Restless intelligence cannot tell duty from harm.”
Arjuna, the intellect that does not truly know right action and wrong action, duty and what should not be done, is rajasic.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
Read literallyby which · right action · wrong action · and · what should be done · and · what should not be done · indeed · and · not properly · understands · intellect · that · Arjuna · rajasic
A restless, rajasic mind misreads right action and wrong action. It cannot clearly tell what should be done and what should be avoided.
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Moksha Sanyasa Yoga" (Liberation through Renunciation).
Verse 31 sits in Chapter 18 of the Bhagavad Gita — Moksha Sanyasa Yoga, "Liberation through Renunciation". The chapter has 78 verses in total.
You are staring at two replies before sending one that could change a relationship. One part of you knows what is right; another part keeps spinning. That spinning is rajasic confusion.
Did you like this verse?
It trains you to notice when agitation is distorting judgment and to pause until duty becomes clear.
What this verse means
A restless, rajasic mind misreads right action and wrong action. It cannot clearly tell what should be done and what should be avoided.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna is frozen, and Krishna begins sorting the states of mind that shape action. After describing clear understanding, he now names the mind that gets duty and non-duty mixed up: rajasic intelligence.
Why this verse still matters
You are staring at two replies before sending one that could change a relationship. One part of you knows what is right; another part keeps spinning. That spinning is rajasic confusion.
“Clarity is not just intelligence; it is the ability to see what truly matters.”
Explore related themes: viveka (15 verses), duty (13 verses), adharma (12 verses)