Surrendered, you cross every obstacle by grace
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि |अथ चेत्त्वमहंकारान्न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि ||१८-५८||
maccittaḥ sarvadurgāṇi matprasādāttariṣyasi . atha cettvamahaṃkārānna śroṣyasi vinaṅkṣyasi ||18-58||
Meaning
Fix but thy mind on Me, and by My grace thou shalt overcome the obstacles in thy path. But if, misled by pride, thou wilt not listen, then indeed thou shalt be lost.
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 sets out the promise and the warning side by side. With the mind fixed on Him, one crosses all difficulties (sarva-durgani) by His grace. But if, out of ahankara — egoism — one refuses to listen, one is lost.
The contrast is stark and compassionate. Grace is freely available, but it must be received, and the one thing that blocks it is the ego's stubborn self-will. The same self-reliant pride that whispers 'I know better, I'll do it my way' cuts a person off from the help that would carry them through every trial.
The teaching is humbling: our deepest obstacle is not the world's difficulty but our own egoism, and surrender is the key that unlocks divine grace.
In daily life
Surrendered, you cross every obstacle by grace; but ego that refuses to listen leads only to ruin.
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What does ‘मच्चित्तः’ mean in this verse?
The Gita on ego, in other chapters
- Verse 7.15What closes the heart to the Divine is not fate but a chosen pride — and humility is the first crack of light.
- Verse 2.7 · ArjunaGenuine surrender to a trustworthy guide, born of honest self-assessment, is not weakness but the prerequisite for transformation.
- Verse 4.11However sincerely you approach the divine, it meets you in that very way — every honest path is honored.
- Verse 9.22Turn your heart wholly to the Divine, and a deeper providence takes up the care of both your needs and your security.
Swipe left for 18.59 · Refusing your true nature out of ego is futile; that nature will assert itself in the end anyway.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 18.58
Who says Bhagavad Gita 18.58, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 18.58, in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga (Moksha Sannyas Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 18.58 mean?
Fix but thy mind on Me, and by My grace thou shalt overcome the obstacles in thy path. But if, misled by pride, thou wilt not listen, then indeed thou shalt be lost. (Translation: Shri Purohit Swami, The Geeta: The Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna (1935). Public domain.)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 18.58 for daily life?
Surrendered, you cross every obstacle by grace; but ego that refuses to listen leads only to ruin.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 18.58 mean?
मच्चित्तः — with mind fixed on Me; सर्वदुर्गाणि — all obstacles / difficulties; मत्प्रसादात् तरिष्यसि — thou shalt cross by My grace; अथ चेत् त्वम् — but if thou; अहंकारात् — from egoism.
Where does verse 18.58 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 58 of 78 in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga. The next verse is 18.59.