Truth is offered to be freely reflected on and chosen, never imposed
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातं गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं मया |विमृश्यैतदशेषेण यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ||१८-६३||
iti te jñānamākhyātaṃ guhyādguhyataraṃ mayā . vimṛśyaitadaśeṣeṇa yathecchasi tathā kuru ||18-63||
Meaning
Thus have I revealed to thee the Truth, the Mystery of mysteries. Having thought it over, thou art free to act as thou wilt.
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 pauses to honor Arjuna's freedom. The wisdom, more secret than any secret, has now been fully imparted. He invites Arjuna to reflect on it completely — vimrishya ashesena — and then, with tender respect, says: act as you wish.
This is a striking moment of spiritual dignity. Having taught the deepest truths, Krishna does not coerce; he leaves the choice entirely to Arjuna. Genuine wisdom is offered, never imposed, and true devotion must be freely given.
The Divine respects human freedom so completely that even after revealing everything, He places the decision in our hands. This honoring of free will is itself a profound teaching about the nature of love and the dignity of the soul.
In daily life
Truth is offered to be freely reflected on and chosen, never imposed — your decision remains your own.
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Krishna on dignity, in other chapters
- Verse 17.22How you give matters as much as that you give — charity offered with contempt or carelessness wounds rather than uplifts.
- Verse 2.11True wisdom involves understanding what is actually worth grieving over — and recognizing that most of our grief is rooted in attachment to impermanence.
- Verse 3.25Work as hard as the most driven person, but let your motive be the good of all rather than personal gain.
- Verse 4.1The deepest truths are not invented in isolation; they are received from a living lineage and kept alive by being lived.
Swipe left for 18.64 · The deepest spiritual truths are shared not as commands but as tender gifts of love to the beloved devotee.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 18.63
Who says Bhagavad Gita 18.63, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 18.63, in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga (Moksha Sannyas Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 18.63 mean?
Thus have I revealed to thee the Truth, the Mystery of mysteries. Having thought it over, thou art free to act as thou wilt. (Translation: Shri Purohit Swami, The Geeta: The Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna (1935). Public domain.)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 18.63 for daily life?
Truth is offered to be freely reflected on and chosen, never imposed — your decision remains your own.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 18.63 mean?
इति ते ज्ञानम् आख्यातं — thus has wisdom been declared to thee; गुह्यात् गुह्यतरं — more secret than secrecy itself; मया — by Me; विमृश्य एतत् — having reflected on this; अशेषेण — fully / completely.
Where does verse 18.63 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 63 of 78 in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga. The next verse is 18.64.