Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 18 · Moksha Sannyasa Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 18.28 अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः
श्लोक 18.28
अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः ।
विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते ॥
ayuktaḥ prākṛtaḥ stabdhaḥ śaṭho naiṣkṛtiko'lasaḥ |
viṣādī dīrghasūtrī ca kartā tāmasa ucyate ||
हिन्दी अर्थ
जो कर्ता असंयमी, असभ्य, अकड़ू, धूर्त, दूसरों का काम बिगाड़ने वाला, आलसी, उदास रहने वाला और काम को टालने वाला है, वह तामसी कहलाता है।
Meaning in English
A doer who is undisciplined, vulgar, stubborn, deceitful, malicious, lazy, despondent and given to delay is called tamasic.
Bhagavad Gita 18.28 — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अयुक्तः | ayuktaḥ | undisciplined |
| प्राकृतः | prākṛtaḥ | vulgar, uncultivated |
| स्तब्धः | stabdhaḥ | obstinate |
| शठः | śaṭhaḥ | deceitful |
| नैष्कृतिकः | naiṣkṛtikaḥ | malicious, spiteful |
| अलसः | alasaḥ | lazy |
| विषादी | viṣādī | despondent |
| दीर्घसूत्री | dīrgha-sūtrī | procrastinating |
| च | ca | and |
| कर्ता | kartā | doer |
| तामसः | tāmasaḥ | tamasic |
| उच्यते | ucyate | is called |
Explanation
The doer who is undisciplined, coarse, stubborn, deceitful, spiteful, lazy, gloomy and given to endless delay is called tamasic. Inertia and dullness show up as carelessness, bad faith and an inability to get on with what needs doing. Such a person drags work out and spoils it.
Shankara glosses naiṣkṛtika as one who ruins others' livelihoods, though some manuscripts read naikṛtika, meaning deceitful. Dīrgha-sūtrī, literally one who draws out a long thread, is the classic Sanskrit word for a procrastinator. Ramanuja reads prākṛta as one whose mind is untouched by learning. Modern readers often find this list uncomfortably familiar, and treat it as a checklist for honest self-examination rather than a label for others.
भावार्थ
जो कर्ता असंयमी, असभ्य, अकड़ वाला, धूर्त, दूसरों का अहित करने वाला, आलसी, उदास रहने वाला और काम को टालने वाला है, वह तामस कहा जाता है।
Living it today
Pick one item from this list — perhaps procrastination — and work on just that this week. Small changes break inertia.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 18.28?
The doer who is undisciplined, coarse, stubborn, deceitful, spiteful, lazy, gloomy and given to endless delay is called tamasic. Inertia and dullness show up as carelessness, bad faith and an inability to get on with what needs doing. Such a person drags work out and spoils it.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 18.28?
Sri Krishna speaks this verse, in Chapter 18 (Moksha Sannyasa Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 18.28 in daily life?
Pick one item from this list — perhaps procrastination — and work on just that this week. Small changes break inertia.
Reflected on verse 18.28?
Light a diya, add a note, or share this verse.