Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 6 · Dhyana Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 6.38 कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति
श्लोक 6.38
कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति ।
अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि ॥
kaccinnobhayavibhraṣṭaśchinnābhramiva naśyati |
apratiṣṭho mahābāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi ||
हिन्दी अर्थ
हे महाबाहो, क्या वह दोनों ओर (सांसारिक और आध्यात्मिक) से वंचित होकर, बिना सहारे के, ब्रह्म के मार्ग में भ्रमित होकर बिखरे हुए बादल की तरह नष्ट तो नहीं हो जाता?
Meaning in English
O mighty-armed one, having fallen from both (worldly and spiritual gains), without support and confused on the path to Brahman, does he not perish like a scattered cloud?
Bhagavad Gita 6.38 — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| कच्चित् | kaccit | is it that |
| न | na | not |
| उभयविभ्रष्टः | ubhaya-vibhraṣṭaḥ | fallen from both |
| छिन्नाभ्रम् | chinna-abhram | a broken-off cloud |
| इव | iva | like |
| नश्यति | naśyati | perishes |
| अप्रतिष्ठः | apratiṣṭhaḥ | without support |
| महाबाहो | mahābāho | O mighty-armed one |
| विमूढः | vimūḍhaḥ | bewildered |
| ब्रह्मणः | brahmaṇaḥ | of Brahman |
| पथि | pathi | on the path |
Explanation
O mighty-armed Krishna, fallen from both, does he not perish like a cloud torn away from the mass, without support and bewildered on the path to Brahman? Arjuna fears that such a seeker has given up worldly rewards without winning the spiritual goal, and so ends up with nothing.
Arjuna's image is memorable: a small cloud breaks off from a large one and drifts until it dissolves, belonging neither to its old cloud nor reaching a new one. 'Fallen from both' is read by Shankara as fallen from the path of ritual action, which leads to heaven, and from the path of yoga, which leads to liberation. The seeker has given up worldly rewards but not won the spiritual one. The fear is very human: sacrificing the familiar for an ideal and ending with nothing.
भावार्थ
हे महाबाहो! कहीं ऐसा तो नहीं कि ब्रह्म-प्राप्ति के मार्ग में मोहित और आश्रयरहित वह पुरुष दोनों ओर से भ्रष्ट होकर छिन्न-भिन्न बादल की तरह नष्ट हो जाता है? उसे डर है कि ऐसा साधक कहीं का नहीं रहता।
Living it today
The fear of losing everything by choosing a deeper path is natural. Name it clearly, as Arjuna does, rather than letting it quietly stop you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 6.38?
O mighty-armed Krishna, fallen from both, does he not perish like a cloud torn away from the mass, without support and bewildered on the path to Brahman? Arjuna fears that such a seeker has given up worldly rewards without winning the spiritual goal, and so ends up with nothing.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 6.38?
Arjuna speaks this verse, in Chapter 6 (Dhyana Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 6.38 in daily life?
The fear of losing everything by choosing a deeper path is natural. Name it clearly, as Arjuna does, rather than letting it quietly stop you.
Reflected on verse 6.38?
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