Rajasic happiness is instant nectar and later poison.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम् |परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम् ||१८-३८||
viṣayendriyasaṃyogādyattadagre.amṛtopamam . pariṇāme viṣamiva tatsukhaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam ||18-38||
Use this verse before instant gratification choices.
Meaning
That happiness which arises from contact between the senses and objects, like nectar at first but poison in the end, is remembered as rajasic.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Rajasic happiness feels sweet first but becomes painful later.
Word-by-word meaning
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Explanation
Krishna describes sensory pleasure that reverses over time. It promises instant satisfaction, but often leaves craving, fatigue, regret, or dependence.
Read the traditional commentary
Rajasic happiness is the mirror image of sattvic joy. Arising from the contact of the senses with their objects, it is like nectar at first — sweet, exciting, instantly gratifying — but turns to poison in the end, leaving behind craving, exhaustion, or regret.
This is the joy of indulgence, and Krishna's insight is timeless. The rush of sensory pleasure feels wonderful in the moment, which is exactly why it deceives. Its sweetness is real but fleeting, and what follows is the bitterness of dependence and depletion. Discerning the long arc of an experience, not just its first taste, is the very heart of wisdom about happiness.
In daily life
Judge pleasure by its after-effect, not only its first taste.
A person may enjoy late-night bingeing at first but feel dull, guilty, and unfocused next morning.
Try this today
Track one pleasure’s after-effect tomorrow.
I choose pleasures by their true consequences.Reflect
Which pleasure becomes poison later?
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Quick check
What does ‘यत् तत् अग्रे’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on happiness, in other chapters
- Verse 2.66Without discipline there is no wisdom, without wisdom no contemplation, without contemplation no peace, and without peace happiness is impossible.
- Verse 5.23Learn to withstand the surge of desire and anger without being swept away — that very capacity makes you a yogi and a happy person.
- Verse 14.6Even peace and wisdom can quietly bind you if you cling to them as possessions rather than passing gifts.
- Verse 3.37The real enemy within is insatiable desire, which sours into anger — name it clearly, for an enemy understood can be conquered.
Swipe left for 18.39 · Tamasic happiness is deluding comfort.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 18.38
Who says Bhagavad Gita 18.38, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 18.38, in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga (Moksha Sannyas Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 18.38 mean?
That happiness which arises from contact between the senses and objects, like nectar at first but poison in the end, is remembered as rajasic. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 18.38 for daily life?
Judge pleasure by its after-effect, not only its first taste. A person may enjoy late-night bingeing at first but feel dull, guilty, and unfocused next morning.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 18.38 mean?
विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगात् — from contact of senses with objects; यत् तत् अग्रे — that which at first; अमृतोपमम् — is like nectar; परिणामे — in the end; विषम् इव — is like poison.
Where does verse 18.38 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 38 of 78 in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga. The next verse is 18.39.