Bhagavad Gita — Vibhuti Yoga, Shloka 4

Vibhuti Yoga

Devanagari script

बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसंमोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः । सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च ॥ १०.४ ॥

Transliteration

buddhir jñānam asaṁmohaḥ kṣamā satyaṁ damaḥ śamaḥ | sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhavo ’bhāvo bhayaṁ cābhayam eva ca || 10.4 ||

Translation

Intellect, knowledge, freedom from delusion, forgiveness, truth, self-restraint, inner calm; pleasure and pain, being and non-being, fear and fearlessness—

Gita Press Meaning

Intellect, knowledge, freedom from delusion, forgiveness, truth, self-restraint, calmness; pleasure and pain, existence and non-existence, fear and fearlessness—

Critical Edition Meaning

Intelligence, knowledge, non-bewilderment, forbearance, truthfulness, self-control, tranquility; pleasure and pain, becoming and non-becoming, fear and also fearlessness—

Comparative Note

This is the first half of a list continued in 10.5. Terms like ‘bhava/abhāva’ are variously rendered as ‘existence/non-existence,’ ‘becoming/non-becoming,’ or ‘prosperity/adversity’ in some traditional readings; academically, ‘becoming/non-becoming’ keeps closer to the abstract pairing. The verse presents a comprehensive range of cognitive, ethical, and affective states as deriving from the divine source (made explicit in 10.5).

Word by Word

• बुद्धिः: intellect, discriminative understanding
• Root: बुद्धि

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• Root: ज्ञान

• असंमोहः: non-delusion, freedom from भ्रम
• Root: असंमोह

• क्षमा: forbearance, forgiveness
• Root: क्षमा

• सत्यम्: truthfulness, truth
• Root: सत्य

• दमः: self-restraint (control of the senses)
• Root: दम

• शमः: tranquility (control of the mind)
• Root: शम

• सुखम्: pleasure, happiness
• Root: सुख

• दुःखम्: pain, suffering
• Root: दुःख

• भवः: coming-to-be, existence, birth
• Root: भव

• अभावः: non-existence, cessation, absence
• Root: अभाव

• भयम्: fear
• Root: भय

• च: and
• Root: च

• अभयम्: fearlessness
• Root: अभय

• एव: indeed, just, only
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Root: च

Speakers

• Krishna

Primary Concepts

• Guṇa-related dispositions
• Ethical virtues
• Affective states
• Divine immanence

Key Themes

• Origin of mental and moral capacities
• Comprehensiveness of divine causality
• Pairing of opposites

FAQs

Psychological significance?

The verse recognizes a spectrum of mental functions and emotions (clarity, restraint, pleasure/pain, fear/fearlessness), suggesting an integrated view of psyche where both strengths and vulnerabilities are part of conditioned life.

Metaphysical meaning?

It implies that diverse human capacities and experiences arise within a single overarching reality; opposites are not outside the divine scope but included within cosmic order.

Contextual relevance?

It begins a catalog of ‘bhāvas’ (states/qualities) to be concluded in 10.5, supporting the chapter’s thesis that the divine is the ultimate source of all excellences and conditions.

Modern Application?

It can support a balanced self-understanding: cultivating virtues (truthfulness, restraint) while acknowledging inevitable affective fluctuations (pleasure/pain, fear/fearlessness).