ye hi sansparśha-jā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te
ādyantavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣhu ramate budhaḥ
ye — which;
hi — verily;
sansparśha-jāḥ — born of contact with the sense objects;
bhogāḥ — pleasures;
duḥkha — misery;
yonayaḥ — source of;
eva — verily;
te — they are;
ādya-antavantaḥ — having beginning and end;
kaunteya — Arjun, the son of Kunti;
na — never;
teṣhu — in those;
ramate — takes delight;
budhaḥ — the wise
This verse talks about the nature of pleasure and pain we experience in life. It says that true smart people, those who are wise or enlightened, avoid things that lead to suffering. These sufferings come from interactions with our senses, like seeing, touching, tasting, and hearing.
Let’s break this down. All the pleasures we feel through our senses, whether it’s enjoying good food, music, or even obtaining material things, can only last for a certain time. They are not permanent. For example, when you eat a delicious meal, it tastes great, but once you’re done, that feeling fades away. You might even feel hungry again later. Similarly, other pleasures, like buying a new phone or going on a vacation, bring joy initially, but that happiness also comes to an end.
The verse emphasizes that wise people understand this cycle. They know that chasing after these temporary pleasures will just keep leading them into more suffering. As they indulge in fleeting pleasures, they might momentarily be happy, but eventually, they must face the inevitable discomfort or dissatisfaction that follows when the pleasure fades away.
A liberated person – someone who understands this concept deeply – recognizes that true happiness does not come from these short-lived pleasures. Instead, they find joy in things that are more lasting and fulfilling, such as love, peace, and spiritual connection. This is often described as 'transcendental happiness,' which is not reliant on the external world and does not fade away.
In simpler terms, the wise person does not waste their time and energy on things that only bring temporary satisfaction. They focus on deeper, more meaningful experiences that lead to lasting joy. Therefore, the key message here is to be aware of what truly brings happiness and to not get caught up in chasing after things that ultimately lead to disappointment.