Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender
Verse 18.38
विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम्।परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम्।।18.38।।
viṣhayendriya-sanyogād yat tad agre ’mṛitopamam pariṇāme viṣham iva tat sukhaṁ rājasaṁ smṛitam
Word Meanings
viṣhaya—with the sense objects; indriya—the senses; sanyogāt—from the contact; yat—which; tat—that; agre—at first; amṛita-upamam—like nectar; pariṇāme—at the end; viṣham iva—like poison; tat—that; sukham—happiness; rājasam—in the mode of passion; smṛitam—is said to be
Translation · English
That happiness which arises from the contact of the senses with the objects, which is initially like nectar but eventually like poison, is said to be Rajasic.
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Bhagavan Krishna delineates the nature of Rajasic (passionate) happiness, which acts as a seductive snare for the embodied soul. This type of joy is born from the initial union of the senses with their objects—a fleeting, sensory resonance that tastes like nectar at the start. It is the ego's way of experiencing 'pleasure' by projecting happiness onto external conditions, erroneously believing that worldly acquisition or sensory indulgence brings lasting fulfillment. However, because this happiness is rooted in the finite and ever-changing material world, it inevitably decays or leaves the seeker hungering for more, ultimately turning into poison through attachment, exhaustion, or the inevitable disillusionment that follows every sensory high. From an Advaitic perspective, this verse highlights the 'mithya' (illusory) nature of worldly joy. It demonstrates that the soul, being by nature bliss (Ananda), seeks to reflect that bliss outward; however, when that reflection is filtered through the Rajasic mind, it is distorted into a dependence on external stimuli. Krishna cautions Arjuna not to confuse this excitement with the steady, self-contained joy of the Atman. By labeling this 'poison in the end,' the Lord invites the seeker to recognize the inherent instability of passion and to pivot toward a higher, transcendent renunciation where happiness is no longer contingent upon the contact between the senses and their volatile objects.
Rajasic happiness is a counterfeit joy that begins with the lure of nectar and ends in the toxicity of attachment and disillusionment.
Connected Verses
Provides the contrast to this verse by describing Sattvic happiness, which tastes like poison at first but results in the nectar of spiritual awakening.
Describes the transcendent happiness that is perceived by the purified intellect and is beyond the reach of the senses.
Confirms that pleasures born of sense-contact are merely wombs of pain because they have a beginning and an end, unlike the joy of the Self.
Explains that sensory contacts are fleeting and that the wise should learn to endure these transient experiences of heat and cold, pleasure and pain.
Community Insights
(0)Share your understanding of this verse with fellow seekers.
No insights yet. Be the first to share your understanding of this verse.