Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 48
The Song of the Avantī Brāhmaṇa (Avanti-brāhmaṇa-gītā): Mind as the Root of Suffering and Equanimity Amid Insult
तं दुर्जयं शत्रुमसह्यवेग- मरुन्तुदं तन्न विजित्य केचित् । कुर्वन्त्यसद्विग्रहमत्र मर्त्यै- र्मित्राण्युदासीनरिपून् विमूढा: ॥ ४८ ॥
tam durjayaṁ śatrum asahya-vegam arun-tudaṁ tan na vijitya kecit kurvanty asad-vigraham atra martyair mitrāṇy udāsīna-ripūn vimūḍhāḥ
Weil sie diesen schwer bezwingbaren Feind — den Geist, dessen Dränge unerträglich sind und der das Herz quält — nicht besiegen, geraten viele völlig in Verwirrung und beginnen nutzlose Streitigkeiten mit anderen. So halten sie die Menschen in ihrer Verblendung für Freunde, Feinde oder Gleichgültige.
Falsely identifying oneself as the material body, and accepting bodily expansions such as children and grandchildren to be one’s eternal property, one completely forgets that every living being is qualitatively one with God. There is no essential difference between one individual being and another, since all are eternal expansions of the Supreme Lord. The mind absorbed in false ego creates the material body, and by identification with the body, the conditioned soul is overwhelmed by false pride and ignorance, as described here.
FAQs
This verse warns that the real enemy is internal and extremely hard to conquer; without mastering it, people become deluded and create needless conflicts even with friends and neutral parties.
It describes the mind/inner impulses as swift and forceful—subtle yet painful—showing how uncontrolled desires and agitation can torment a person and drive outward quarrel.
Before reacting, practice restraint and self-observation (japa, prayer, sāttvika habits); reduce ego-driven arguments and focus on inner discipline, which prevents turning relationships into battles.