Bhagavad Gita 2.14 — Pleasure and Pain Are Temporary: Learn to Endure Them
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः।
आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत॥ २.१४॥
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O son of Kunti, the contacts of the senses with their objects give rise to cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and are impermanent. Endure them patiently, O Bharata.
Transliteration (IAST)
Word Separation
The Sanskrit verse is separated into individual words (Padched) for easier study.
Word Meanings
| Line 1 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| mātrāsparśhāḥ | contacts of the senses with their objects |
| tu | indeed, but |
| kaunteya | O son of Kunti (Arjuna) |
| śhītoṣhṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ | givers of cold and heat, pleasure and pain |
| Line 2 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| āgamāpāyinaḥ | coming and going, appearing and disappearing |
| anityāḥ | impermanent, non-eternal |
| tān | them |
| titikṣhasva | endure, tolerate patiently |
| bhārata | O descendant of Bharata (Arjuna) |
| Line 1 | Line 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| mātrāsparśhāḥ | contacts of the senses with their objects | āgamāpāyinaḥ | coming and going, appearing and disappearing |
| tu | indeed, but | anityāḥ | impermanent, non-eternal |
| kaunteya | O son of Kunti (Arjuna) | tān | them |
| śhītoṣhṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ | givers of cold and heat, pleasure and pain | titikṣhasva | endure, tolerate patiently |
| bhārata | O descendant of Bharata (Arjuna) | ||
Detailed Meaning
Introduction
Here Lord Krishna turns from philosophy to practice. Arjuna may accept that the Self is eternal and still feel pain, because pain is real in daily experience. Krishna therefore explains the nature of sense experience, which comes and goes like seasons, and advises Arjuna to develop the quality of patient endurance.
Essence
Why we feel pleasure and pain
Lord Krishna says that mātrā-sparśāḥ, the contacts of the senses with their objects, give rise to cold and heat, pleasure and pain. When the skin meets a cold breeze we feel cold; when we meet a loved one we feel joy; when we hear harsh words we feel hurt. All of these are the result of contact between the senses, the mind, and the world.
Āgama-apāyinaḥ (coming and going): The most important feature of all these experiences is that they arrive and they depart. Winter is followed by summer, and happiness is followed by sorrow, and then happiness again. Nothing in this stream stays forever.
Anityāḥ (impermanent): Because they are impermanent, they cannot be a stable foundation for our identity or our peace. A person who believes that his happiness depends on a particular experience staying forever will always be afraid of its departure.
Titikṣā: the discipline of endurance
Krishna's advice is tāṃs titikṣasva, 'endure them.' Titikṣā does not mean suppressing feelings or becoming numb. It means bearing the pair of opposites with patience, without being thrown off balance by either. It is the capacity to say, 'This is uncomfortable, but it will pass, and I will not abandon my duty because of it.'
There is also quiet encouragement in the verse. By addressing Arjuna as Kaunteya and Bhārata, the Lord reminds him of his lineage of fortitude. Endurance is not alien to him; it is part of his heritage.
Message for Everyday Life (Learning to Ride the Waves)
Our moods, finances, health, and relationships go through cycles. If we react to every high with excitement and every low with despair, we become exhausted.
Remember that it will pass: In a difficult moment, remind yourself that this too is a coming-and-going experience.
Do not cling to the pleasant either: Endurance also applies to success and praise. Equanimity means holding both ends of the spectrum lightly.
Why we feel pleasure and pain
Lord Krishna says that mātrā-sparśāḥ, the contacts of the senses with their objects, give rise to cold and heat, pleasure and pain. When the skin meets a cold breeze we feel cold; when we meet a loved one we feel joy; when we hear harsh words we feel hurt. All of these are the result of contact between the senses, the mind, and the world.
Āgama-apāyinaḥ (coming and going): The most important feature of all these experiences is that they arrive and they depart. Winter is followed by summer, and happiness is followed by sorrow, and then happiness again. Nothing in this stream stays forever.
Anityāḥ (impermanent): Because they are impermanent, they cannot be a stable foundation for our identity or our peace. A person who believes that his happiness depends on a particular experience staying forever will always be afraid of its departure.
Titikṣā: the discipline of endurance
Krishna's advice is tāṃs titikṣasva, 'endure them.' Titikṣā does not mean suppressing feelings or becoming numb. It means bearing the pair of opposites with patience, without being thrown off balance by either. It is the capacity to say, 'This is uncomfortable, but it will pass, and I will not abandon my duty because of it.'
There is also quiet encouragement in the verse. By addressing Arjuna as Kaunteya and Bhārata, the Lord reminds him of his lineage of fortitude. Endurance is not alien to him; it is part of his heritage.
Message for Everyday Life (Learning to Ride the Waves)
Our moods, finances, health, and relationships go through cycles. If we react to every high with excitement and every low with despair, we become exhausted.
Remember that it will pass: In a difficult moment, remind yourself that this too is a coming-and-going experience.
Do not cling to the pleasant either: Endurance also applies to success and praise. Equanimity means holding both ends of the spectrum lightly.
Next Topic
Krishna has advised Arjuna to endure the contacts of cold and heat, pleasure and pain with patience. He now explains what happens to the person who learns this lesson well. The next verse reveals that the one who is not disturbed by these experiences becomes fit for immortality.
Hidden Messages In This Shloka
Reflect on this verse from different perspectives and see which deeper message opens up for you.
Wisdom Nuggets
This too shall pass; knowing it makes you stronger.
Comfort and discomfort are visitors, not residents.
Endurance is wisdom in slow motion.
Don't let a passing feeling make a lasting decision.
Wins and losses both end.
Calm in discomfort is real power.
What does not rule you cannot trouble you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'mātrā-sparśha' (contact of the senses with objects) mean?
Why does Krishna call these experiences 'anitya' (impermanent)?
What does 'titikṣhā' (patient endurance) mean in this verse?
Why is Arjuna addressed as 'Kaunteya' (son of Kunti) and 'Bhārata' (descendant of Bharata)?
Is the verse asking us to ignore pain?
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