Swami Vivekananda Quotes: June 2014

In this article our topic is the 22nd verse of the 6th chapter of Bhagavad Gita.

In philosophy, literature, religion and poetry human life and all activities associated with it have been described as a "search". They say that whatever we are doing, we are actually searching something or someone.

Now, is this search endless or infinite? In Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6, verse 22 we find Lord Krishna is saying that there is something or someone, which, having obtained, one feels that his search has finally come to an end. There is not and can not be anything greater or better than that. When someone reaches such a stage or finds this object, nothing in the universe can disturb or move him.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter VI, Verse: 22

The verse is—

यं लब्धा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः

यस्मिनिस्थतो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि बिचाल्येत

Yam labdha chaparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah

Yasminstithou na duhkhena gurunapi bichalayet

The meaning if the verse is—

Which, having obtained, one thinks there is no greater gain beyond it;

Wherein established, he is not shaken even by heavy sorrow

Now let's see meaning of every word—

यं/Yam = Which
लब्धा/Labdha = Having obtained
च/Cha= And
अपरं/Aparam = Another
लाभं.Labham = Gain
मन्यते/Manyate = Thinks
न/Na = Not
अधिकं/Adhikam= Greater
ततः/Tatah = Than that
यस्मिन्/Yasmin = In which
स्थितः/Sthitah= Established
न/Na = Not
दुःखेन/Duhkhena = By sorrow/misery
गुरुणा/Guruna = Heavy
अपि/Api= Even
बिचाल्येत/Bichalyet = Is moved

Audio

Here is an audio recording of the verse. Artist: Piusha Singh. Recording and sound mixing: Swami Vivekananda Quotes.

Swami Vivekananda's comments

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

In the beginning of 1894, Swami Vivekananda wrote a letter to Swami Ramakrishnananda from 541 Dearborn Avenue, Chicago, United States. In that letter he quoted the last part of this verse—^[Source]

"यस्मिंस्थितौ न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते" — नैषः प्राप्तवान् तत्पदवीमिति मत्वा करुणादृष्ट्या द्रष्टव्योऽयमिति — "Established in which state a man is not moved even by great misfortune" (Gita) — that state he has not reached; think of this and look upon him with pity. Through the Lord's will, the desire for name and fame has not yet crept into my heart, and I dare say never will. I am an instrument, and He is the operator. Through this instrument He is rousing the religious instinct in thousands of hearts in this far-off country. Thousands of men and women here love and revere me. . . . "मूकं करोति वाचालं पङ्गुं लङ्घते गिरिम् — He makes the dumb eloquent and makes the lame cross mountains." I am amazed at His grace. Whichever town I visit, it is in an uproar. They have named me "the cyclonic Hindu". Remember, it is His will — I am a voice without a form.