सुखं त्विदानीं त्रिविधं श्रृणु मे भरतर्षभ ।
अभ्यासाद्रमते यत्र दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति ॥
अभ्यासाद्रमते यत्र दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
हे भरतवंशियोंमें श्रेष्ठ अर्जुन अब तीन प्रकारके सुखको भी तुम मेरेसे सुनो । जिसमें अभ्याससे रमण होता है और जिससे दुःखोंका अन्त हो जाता है, ऐसा वह परमात्मविषयक बुद्धिकी प्रसन्नतासे पैदा होनेवाला जो सुख सांसारिक आसक्तिके कारण आरम्भमें विषकी तरह और परिणाममें अमृतकी तरह होता है, वह सुख सात्त्विक कहा गया है ॥
English
O best of the Bharatas, hear from me now about three kinds of happiness. The happiness that comes from practice, ends sorrow, and first feels like poison but later like nectar is called sattvic.
What this verse means
Krishna describes a higher kind of happiness: it grows through practice, brings lasting relief, and feels difficult at first but sweet in the end.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Arjuna stands shaken while Krishna finishes his teaching on the three qualities of life. After describing lower forms of steadiness, Krishna now turns to sattvic happiness — the kind that grows through practice and ends sorrow.
Why this verse still matters
You keep returning to the meditation cushion even when it feels awkward and unrewarding. Weeks later, the mind settles, and the struggle that once felt heavy starts to feel like home.
The takeaway
Real ease often starts as effort before it becomes relief.
Word-by-word translation
सुखम् (happiness) / तु (indeed) / इदानीम् (now) / त्रिविधम् (threefold) / श्रृणु (hear) / मे (from me) / भरतर्षभ (O best of the Bharatas) / अभ्यासात् (from practice) / रमते (finds delight) / यत्र (where) / दुःख-अन्तम् (end of sorrow) / च (and) / निगच्छति (attains)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18: Moksha Sanyasa Yoga — Liberation through Renunciation, which contains 78 verses.
Explore related themes: gunas (47 verses)