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Chapter 18 · Verse 38
🪈 Krishna speaks
Illustration for Chapter 18, Verse 38

विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम्। परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम्॥

viṣayendriyasaṁyogādyattadagre'mṛtopamam | pariṇāme viṣamiva tatsukhaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam ||

Word by Word 12 words
विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगात्
viṣaya sense-object, thing of pleasure indriya sense, sense-organ sam together yuj to join, to yoke

from the contact of the senses with their objects

यत्
yad which

which, that which

तत्
tad that

that

अग्रे
agra front, beginning

at the beginning, at first

अमृतोपमम्
a not mṛta dead upama likeness

like nectar, like the drink of deathlessness

परिणामे
pari around nam to bend, to turn

in the end, in its result

विषम्
viṣ to be active, to pervade

poison

इव
iva like, as if

like, as if

तत्
tad that

that

सुखम्
su good kha space

happiness

राजसम्
rajas passion, restless energy

of the nature of rajas — driven by craving and restlessness

स्मृतम्
smṛ to remember, to declare

is remembered as, is known to be

describes the second kind — the happiness. "It comes from the senses meeting the things they crave, and it is like nectar at the very start, but in the end it turns out to be like poison. That happiness is known to be rajasic — born of restlessness and desire." This is the opposite of the first kind: it feels delicious the moment you grab it, but later it leaves you tired, empty, or sorry. The sweet beginning hides a bitter ending.

कथा

The King and the Cup That Never Filled

From the mythological

In an old kingdom long ago there lived a king named Vibhava, who believed that happiness was a thing you could capture and keep, like a bird in a cage.

The first time he tasted honeyed wine at a feast, his heart leapt. "This," he declared, "is joy itself! Bring me more." And so they brought more, and he drank, and for a while the hall spun pleasantly and he laughed louder than anyone. But the next morning his head pounded like a war-drum and his mouth was dry as ash, and the joy had vanished, leaving only a craving for the next cup.

So it went with everything Vibhava chased. The first bite of a rich sweet was glorious — but the tenth left him sick. The first jewel he won thrilled him — but soon he could think of nothing but the bigger jewel his neighbour owned. The first praise of the court warmed him — but the day no one praised him, he sank into gloom. Each delight arrived like nectar and departed like poison.

An old sage came through the kingdom, dusty from the road, and the king summoned him in frustration. "Holy one," he said, "I have every pleasure a man could want, and yet I am never content. The sweetness never stays. Why?"

The sage looked at him kindly. "Because you are drinking from a cup that never fills, great king. The happiness that comes from the senses grabbing at things they crave is real — but only for a moment. It is sweet at the lip and bitter in the belly. Chase it, and you will spend your whole life thirsty."

"Then what should I do?" asked Vibhava.

"Do not despise pleasure," said the sage, "but do not lean your whole life upon it. The joys that begin like nectar and end like poison cannot hold you up. Seek instead the quieter joy that grows from a settled heart — the one that is hard at first and sweet ever after."

The king was silent for a long time. Then, for the first time in years, he set down his golden cup and did not call for more.

चिन्तनम्

Have you ever wanted something badly, gotten it, and then felt let down soon after? Why do you think some pleasures feel amazing at first but not for long?