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शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात्। कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः।।5.23।।

śhaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṁ prāk śharīra-vimokṣhaṇāt kāma-krodhodbhavaṁ vegaṁ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 5, Verse 23
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
He who is able, while still here in this world, to withstand the impulse born out of desire and anger before the liberation from the body, he is a Yogi, and he is a happy man.

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: one who is able to withstand the impulses of desire and anger even here, in this very body, before death, is disciplined and happy, framing this discipline as something to practice now, in an ordinary body, not after some future transformation.

In life: waiting for some future version of yourself to become disciplined is a way of postponing the actual practice indefinitely.

Teaching: practice resisting one specific urge of desire or anger today, in your current, ordinary life, rather than waiting for ideal circumstances or a more disciplined future self.

śhaknotiis able
iha evain the present body
yaḥwho
soḍhumto withstand
prākbefore
śharīrathe body
vimokṣhaṇātgiving up
kāmadesire
krodhaanger
udbhavamgenerated from
vegamforces
saḥthat person
yuktaḥyogi
saḥthat person
sukhīhappy
naraḥperson

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
5.23 शक्नोति is able? इह here (in this world)? एव even? यः who? सोढुम् to withstand? प्राक् before? शरीरविमोक्षणात् liberation from the body? कामक्रोधोद्भवम् born out of desire and anger? वेगम् the impulse? सः he? युक्तः united? सः he? सुखी happy? नरः man.Commentary Yukta means harmonised or steadfast in Yoga or selfabiding.Desire and anger are powerful enemies of peace. It is very difficult to annihilate them. You will have to make very strong efforts to destroy these enemies.When the word Kama (desire) is used in a general sense it includes all sorts of desires. It means lust in a special sense.While still here means while yet living. The impulse of desire is the agitation of the mind which is indicated by hairs standing on end and cheerful face. The impulse of anger is agitation of the mind which is indicated by fiery eyes? perspiration? biting of the lips and trembling of the body. In this verse you will clearly understand that he who has controlled desire and anger is the most happy man in this world? nor he who has immense wealth? a beautiful wife and beautiful children. Therefore you must try your level best to eradicate desire and anger? the dreadful enemies of eternal bliss.Kama (desire) is longing for a pleasant and agreeable object which gives pleasure and which is seen? heard of? or remembered. Anger is aversion towards an unpleasant and disagreeable object which gives pain and which is seen? heard or? or remembered.A Yogi controls the impulse born of desire and anger? destroyes the currents of likes and dislikes,and attains to eanimity of the mind? by resting in the innermost Self? and so he is very happy.(Cf.VI.18)