Bhagavad Gita 2.71 — Abandon Desires, Possessiveness and Ego to Attain Peace
विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः।
निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः स शान्तिमधिगच्छति॥ २.७१॥
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The person who gives up all desires and lives free from longing, without a sense of possession and without ego, attains peace.
Transliteration (IAST)
Word Separation
The Sanskrit verse is separated into individual words (Padched) for easier study.
Word Meanings
| Line 1 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| vihāya | having abandoned, giving up |
| kāmān | desires |
| yaḥ | one who |
| sarvān | all |
| pumān | person |
| charati | moves, lives |
| niḥspṛihaḥ | free from longing, without craving |
| Line 2 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| nirmamaḥ | without a sense of possession, free from 'mine' |
| nirahaṅkāraḥ | free from ego, without the sense of 'I am the doer' |
| saḥ | that person |
| śhāntim | peace |
| adhigachchhati | attains |
| Line 1 | Line 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| vihāya | having abandoned, giving up | nirmamaḥ | without a sense of possession, free from 'mine' |
| kāmān | desires | nirahaṅkāraḥ | free from ego, without the sense of 'I am the doer' |
| yaḥ | one who | saḥ | that person |
| sarvān | all | śhāntim | peace |
| pumān | person | adhigachchhati | attains |
| charati | moves, lives | ||
| niḥspṛihaḥ | free from longing, without craving | ||
Detailed Meaning
Introduction
In this verse Lord Krishna describes the inner state of the person who is truly at peace. Such a person has given up all desires, lives without craving, and is free from the sense of 'mine' and the sense of 'I' as a separate ego. This is the condition that brings lasting peace.
Essence
Four marks of the peaceful person
Lord Krishna says vihāya kāmān yaḥ sarvān pumāṃś carati niḥspṛhaḥ nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ sa śāntim adhigacchati. The verse describes four qualities that come together to produce peace.
Vihāya kāmān sarvān (having abandoned all desires): This refers to the desires that bind the mind and make its peace conditional, as described in verse 55. The wise person has let go of the need to have things a certain way.
Niḥspṛhaḥ (free from longing): They move through life without the restless hunger that keeps most people feeling incomplete. They may still pursue goals and fulfil responsibilities, but not out of inner lack.
Nirmamaḥ (without the sense of 'mine'): The word mama means 'mine.' Much of our suffering comes from possessiveness, the feeling that people, objects, and even outcomes belong to us. The wise person cares for what is entrusted to them without the grip of ownership. This makes it easier to let go when circumstances change.
Nirahaṅkāraḥ (without the sense of ego): The ahaṅkāra is the sense of being a separate, self-important doer. Without it, a person acts without pride in success or wounded pride in failure. They see themselves as part of a larger whole.
A gradual unfolding
These four qualities are interconnected. Letting go of desire loosens the sense of lack. As the sense of lack diminishes, the need to possess decreases. As possessiveness fades, the ego's constant need to defend and promote itself softens. The result is śānti, peace.
It is important to notice that this teaching does not call for a joyless existence. Peace of this kind is described as the greatest fulfilment, and those who have found it are not diminished but expanded. They are free to love and serve without anxiety.
Message for Everyday Life (Loosening 'Mine' and 'I')
Think of how often our distress is connected with the words 'my' and 'I': my reputation, my plans, my possessions, my opinion.
Practise holding things lightly: Ask what you can care for deeply while accepting that you do not fully control or own it.
Soften the ego's demands: Notice when a reaction stems from wounded pride, and see whether it is truly necessary to defend it.
Four marks of the peaceful person
Lord Krishna says vihāya kāmān yaḥ sarvān pumāṃś carati niḥspṛhaḥ nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ sa śāntim adhigacchati. The verse describes four qualities that come together to produce peace.
Vihāya kāmān sarvān (having abandoned all desires): This refers to the desires that bind the mind and make its peace conditional, as described in verse 55. The wise person has let go of the need to have things a certain way.
Niḥspṛhaḥ (free from longing): They move through life without the restless hunger that keeps most people feeling incomplete. They may still pursue goals and fulfil responsibilities, but not out of inner lack.
Nirmamaḥ (without the sense of 'mine'): The word mama means 'mine.' Much of our suffering comes from possessiveness, the feeling that people, objects, and even outcomes belong to us. The wise person cares for what is entrusted to them without the grip of ownership. This makes it easier to let go when circumstances change.
Nirahaṅkāraḥ (without the sense of ego): The ahaṅkāra is the sense of being a separate, self-important doer. Without it, a person acts without pride in success or wounded pride in failure. They see themselves as part of a larger whole.
A gradual unfolding
These four qualities are interconnected. Letting go of desire loosens the sense of lack. As the sense of lack diminishes, the need to possess decreases. As possessiveness fades, the ego's constant need to defend and promote itself softens. The result is śānti, peace.
It is important to notice that this teaching does not call for a joyless existence. Peace of this kind is described as the greatest fulfilment, and those who have found it are not diminished but expanded. They are free to love and serve without anxiety.
Message for Everyday Life (Loosening 'Mine' and 'I')
Think of how often our distress is connected with the words 'my' and 'I': my reputation, my plans, my possessions, my opinion.
Practise holding things lightly: Ask what you can care for deeply while accepting that you do not fully control or own it.
Soften the ego's demands: Notice when a reaction stems from wounded pride, and see whether it is truly necessary to defend it.
Next Topic
Krishna has described the person without desire, possessiveness, or ego as one who attains peace. He now closes the chapter by summarising this exalted state and its supreme result. In the final verse of Chapter 2, He calls it the state of Brahman and promises that one who attains it is not deluded and reaches liberation even at the end of life.
Hidden Messages In This Shloka
Reflect on this verse from different perspectives and see which deeper message opens up for you.
Wisdom Nuggets
Peace begins where grasping ends.
Less 'mine', more peace.
Without the 'I', what is there to defend?
Own things, but let nothing own you.
Release is the way to rest.
Fewer attachments, fewer worries.
The humble sleep well.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'niḥspṛiha' (free from longing) mean?
What is 'nirmama' (without possessiveness)?
What is 'nirahaṅkāra' (without ego)?
Does this verse ask us to give up all action?
How is this different from the previous verse?
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