Shloka 18.52
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
विविक्तसेवी लघ्वाशी यतवाक्कायमानसः |ध्यानयोगपरो नित्यं वैराग्यं समुपाश्रितः ||१८-५२||
viviktasevī laghvāśī yatavākkāyamānasaḥ . dhyānayogaparo nityaṃ vairāgyaṃ samupāśritaḥ ||18-52||
Meaning
Enjoying solitude, abstemiousness, his body, mind and speech under perfect control, absorbed in meditation, he becomes free - always filled with the spirit of renunciation.
Translation: Shri Purohit Swami, The Geeta: The Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna (1935). Public domain.
Word-by-word meaning
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Explanation
Krishna continues the portrait of the seeker bound for Brahman. Such a one lives in solitude (vivikta-sevi), eats lightly, keeps speech, body, and mind restrained, is ever absorbed in dhyana-yoga (the practice of meditation), and rests firmly in vairagya, dispassion toward worldly things.
These are the practical disciplines of the contemplative life. Quiet surroundings still the mind, moderate diet keeps the body light and alert, restraint of speech and action conserves inner energy, and steady meditation directs it toward the Self. Underlying all is dispassion — a settled freedom from craving. Together these simple, time-tested practices create the conditions in which the deepest realization can dawn.
In daily life
Solitude, moderation, restraint, and steady meditation prepare the mind to realize the Eternal.
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What does ‘वैराग्यं समुपाश्रितः’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on meditation, in other chapters
- Verse 6.10Meditation flourishes in solitude and simplicity, with a mind free of craving and the urge to possess.
- Verse 4.29Even the breath can become a sacred offering; by mastering its rhythm, we steady the mind and turn life itself into worship.
- Verse 8.8A wandering mind is steadied not by force but by patient daily practice that gradually trains it to rest in the Divine.
- Verse 13.9Honestly facing life's impermanence loosens craving and turns the heart toward what cannot decay.
Swipe left for 18.53 · Release ego, anger, desire, and possessiveness, and the resulting peace makes you fit for union with the Eternal.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 18.52
Who says Bhagavad Gita 18.52, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 18.52, in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga (Moksha Sannyas Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 18.52 mean?
Enjoying solitude, abstemiousness, his body, mind and speech under perfect control, absorbed in meditation, he becomes free - always filled with the spirit of renunciation. (Translation: Shri Purohit Swami, The Geeta: The Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna (1935). Public domain.)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 18.52 for daily life?
Solitude, moderation, restraint, and steady meditation prepare the mind to realize the Eternal.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 18.52 mean?
विविक्तसेवी — dwelling in solitude; लघ्वाशी — eating but little; यतवाक्कायमानसः — with speech, body and mind subdued; ध्यानयोगपरः नित्यं — ever engaged in meditation; वैराग्यं समुपाश्रितः — taking refuge in dispassion.
Where does verse 18.52 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 52 of 78 in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga. The next verse is 18.53.