Chapter 16Verse 1 of 24

Bhagavad Gita 16.1

श्रीभगवानुवाच अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः । दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ dānaṁ damaś ca yajñaś ca svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam

Translation

The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadiness in the yoga of knowledge, almsgiving, self-restraint, sacrifice, study of scripture, austerity, straightforwardness;

Krishna opens the roster of daiva sampad with abhayam first. Fearlessness names ground. Without it sadhana shakes at every gust. Sattva-samshuddhi follows: cleared inner space so reflection holds. Jnana-yoga-vyavasthiti is settledness in the wisdom-path, not occasional study. Dana is open hand. Damah is sense-rein. Yajna is offering loop. Svadhyaya is recitation and self-reading at once. Tapas is heat held without leaking complaint. Arjavam is straight line between thought, word, deed. Roster opens not with peak states but daily-grade postures any seeker can begin tonight. Each entry is checkable. Each entry is repeatable. Verse one sets tone: divine endowment is not mood, it is ordered practice.

Reflection

Which of the daivi qualities feels closest to ground for you today, and why?

Read this verse in its chapter: Chapter Sixteen

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