What begins and ends cannot give permanent happiness.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दुःखयोनय एव ते |आद्यन्तवन्तः कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुधः ||५-२२||
ye hi saṃsparśajā bhogā duḥkhayonaya eva te . ādyantavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣu ramate budhaḥ ||5-22||
Use this verse when pleasure turns into craving or regret.
Meaning
Pleasures born of contact are sources of sorrow because they have a beginning and an end. The wise do not delight in them.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Temporary pleasures often become sources of sorrow.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna explains why sensory pleasure cannot be the final goal. It begins, peaks, fades, and often leaves craving, emptiness, or dependence. The wise may experience pleasure but do not make it their home. This is relevant for addictions, consumerism, lust, binge entertainment, and compulsive comfort-seeking.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna explains why the wise turn away from sense-pleasures. The enjoyments born of sense-contact (samsparsha-ja bhogah) are duhkha-yonayah — literally 'wombs of sorrow,' sources from which pain is born. Though they feel pleasant in the moment, they inevitably breed suffering.
The reason is given simply: they are adi-antavantah, possessed of a beginning and an end. Whatever begins must end, and the ending of a pleasure brings the pain of its loss and the ache of renewed craving. To stake one's happiness on what is impermanent is to guarantee future grief.
Therefore the budha, the wise person, does not delight in such fleeting joys. This is not life-denial but clear-eyed discernment: recognizing that transient pleasures cannot deliver lasting fulfillment frees one to seek the unchanging joy of the Self described in the previous verse.
In daily life
Enjoy responsibly, but do not build identity on temporary pleasure.
Binge-watching may relax for a night but can create fatigue, regret, and lost clarity.
Try this today
Reduce one pleasure that repeatedly creates regret.
I seek lasting joy beyond temporary pleasure.Reflect
Which temporary pleasure leaves me emptier afterward?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘दुःखयोनयः एव’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on senses, in other chapters
- Verse 2.60Even a discerning person striving sincerely for wisdom can have their mind violently dragged away by the turbulent senses.
- Verse 7.23Temporary aims yield temporary rewards; aim your deepest devotion at the Eternal and you arrive at what never fades.
- Verse 3.6Controlling outward behaviour while secretly indulging in the mind is self-deception, not discipline — real change starts within.
- Verse 4.26Whether through restraint of the senses or purified engagement with the world, sense-experience can be turned into an offering.
Swipe left for 5.23 · Impulse control is a direct path to happiness.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 5.22
Who says Bhagavad Gita 5.22, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 5.22, in Chapter 5, Karma Sannyas Yoga (Karma Sannyas Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 5.22 mean?
Pleasures born of contact are sources of sorrow because they have a beginning and an end. The wise do not delight in them. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 5.22 for daily life?
Enjoy responsibly, but do not build identity on temporary pleasure. Binge-watching may relax for a night but can create fatigue, regret, and lost clarity.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 5.22 mean?
ये हि — those which indeed; संस्पर्शजाः भोगाः — enjoyments born of (sense-)contact; दुःखयोनयः एव — are only wombs / sources of pain; ते — they (these enjoyments); आद्यन्तवन्तः — having a beginning and an end.
Where does verse 5.22 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 22 of 29 in Chapter 5, Karma Sannyas Yoga. The next verse is 5.23.