Bhagavad GitaBhagavad Gita 2.14
Chapter 2, verse 14: the Sanskrit, the Roman letters, the meaning and what it is used for.
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः
आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत
mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ
āgamāpāyino'nityāstāṃstitikṣasva bhārata
Meaning
Contacts of the senses with their objects, O son of Kunti, bring cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and do not last; bear them, O Bharata.
Explanation
The word used for "bear" is titiksha, steady endurance, not suffering in silence for its own sake. Krishna is not asking Arjuna to enjoy pain; he is asking him to see that feelings which arrive through the senses also leave through them. The practical use is simple: when a mood is at its worst, remember that it is a visitor. Many readers use this verse as a reminder to wait out strong feelings before making any decision.
Where it fits
This is verse 14 of 72 in chapter 2, "The wisdom of the self and of steady action" (Sankhya Yoga). previous verse (2.13) · next verse (2.15)
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Questions people ask
What does Bhagavad Gita 2.14 mean?
Contacts of the senses with their objects, O son of Kunti, bring cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and do not last; bear them, O Bharata.
Where is this verse?
It is verse 14 of chapter 2 (The wisdom of the self and of steady action), which has 72 verses.
Meanings and explanations are our own wording, not an authorised translation. Readers of the Gita follow different traditions and teachers; please ask yours about what you read here.