Bhagavad-gītā 2.70

Explain simply

Speaker: Śrī Kṛṣṇa

आपूर्यमाणमचलप्रतिष्ठं
समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् ।
तद्वत्कामा यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे
स शान्तिमाप्नोति न कामकामी ॥७०॥

āpūryamāṇam acala-pratiṣṭhaṁ
samudram āpaḥ praviśanti yadvat
tadvat kāmā yaṁ praviśanti sarve
sa śāntim āpnoti na kāma-kāmī

Word for word (synonyms)

āpūryamāṇam
always filled
acala-pratiṣṭham
steadily situated
samudram
the ocean
āpaḥ
water
praviśanti
enter
yadvat
as
tadvat
so
kāmāḥ
desires
yam
unto one
praviśanti
enter
sarve
all
saḥ
that person
śāntim
peace
āpnoti
achieves
na
not
kāma-kāmī
one who desires to fulfill desires

Translation

A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires—that enter like rivers into the ocean which is ever being filled but is always still—can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires.

Defined in the Gītā

Peace

Who attains peace?

A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and is devoid of false ego—he alone can attain real peace.

Bhagavad-gītā 2.71

See the definition

Purport

Although the vast ocean is always filled with water, it is always, especially during the rainy season, being filled with much more water. But the ocean remains the same—steady; it is not agitated, nor does it cross beyond the limit of its brink. That is also true of a person fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As long as one has the material body, the demands of the body for sense gratification will continue. The devotee, however, is not disturbed by such desires because of his fullness. A Kṛṣṇa conscious man is not in need of anything because the Lord fulfills all his material necessities. Therefore he is like the ocean—always full in himself. Desires may come to him like the waters of the rivers that flow into the ocean, but he is steady in his activities, and he is not even slightly disturbed by desires for sense gratification. That is the proof of a Kṛṣṇa conscious man—one who has lost all inclinations for material sense gratification, although the desires are present. Because he remains satisfied in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he can remain steady, like the ocean, and therefore enjoy full peace. Others, however, who fulfill desires even up to the limit of liberation, what to speak of material success, never attain peace. The fruitive workers, the salvationists, and also the yogīs who are after mystic powers, are all unhappy because of unfulfilled desires. But the person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is happy in the service of the Lord, and he has no desires to be fulfilled. In fact, he does not even desire liberation from the so-called material bondage. The devotees of Kṛṣṇa have no material desires, and therefore they are in perfect peace.

What this verse teaches

[A4] Sthita-prajña’s sense engagement (walking) – By attaining the Lord’s mercy, one’s intelligence is established and one attains peace. Agitated senses carry away intelligence and a sthita-prajña is unagitated. Qualities and destination of sthita-prajña.

In thematic compilations 1

Equanimity and Satisfaction

  • Like an ocean that is still despite many rivers entering it, one should be undisturbed by the incessant flow of desires. (2.70 āpūryamāṇam acala-pratiṣṭhaṁ...)
Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures 1
Articles on this verse 1

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.