Gita for Life · Questions of practice
What does the Gita say about peace and contentment?
5 passages of the Gita on this question. Each shows what the verse says, why it belongs here, and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s explanation.
In short
Everyone wants peace, but we look for it in getting what we desire, and desires never end. The Gītā teaches that real peace comes from knowing Kṛṣṇa as the owner of everything and our best friend, and from being satisfied in His service.
More things will not fill the heart. Kṛṣṇa will.
-
Without peace, there is no happiness
aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham Bhagavad-gītā 2.66
What the verse says
One who is not in transcendental consciousness can have neither a controlled mind nor steady intelligence, and without these there is no possibility of peace. “And how can there be any happiness without peace?”
Read 2.66 in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
One who is not in transcendental consciousness can have neither a controlled mind nor steady intelligence, without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness the mind has no final goal, and that is why it is disturbed. One who lives without a relationship with Kṛṣṇa is without peace, however much he may make a show of it.
“Disturbance is due to want of an ultimate goal”
Lesson
Restlessness is often less about what is happening around us than about having no real aim. Give your mind its true goal, Kṛṣṇa, and it begins to settle.
Example
A boat with no destination is pushed about by every wave. With a fixed shore to steer for, the same waves no longer decide where it goes.
-
Ups and downs come and go like seasons
āgamāpāyino ’nityās Bhagavad-gītā 2.14
What the verse says
Happiness and distress appear and, in due course, disappear, like winter and summer. They arise from sense perception, and Kṛṣṇa asks us to learn to tolerate them “without being disturbed.”
Read 2.14 in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
Śrīla Prabhupāda gives everyday examples: one who follows religious principles takes his early-morning bath even in the cold month of Māgha, and a woman cooks in the kitchen in the hottest months of summer. Duty goes on in spite of discomfort.
“One has to execute his duty in spite of climatic inconveniences.”
Lesson
Do not wait for life to become comfortable before you allow yourself to be at peace. Comfort and discomfort will keep changing; let your duty and your remembrance of Kṛṣṇa stay steady.
Example
A hot summer is no reason to stop going to work, and a hard month is no reason to stop your morning chanting. Both seasons pass.
-
Fulfilling desires will not bring peace
sa śāntim āpnoti na kāma-kāmī Bhagavad-gītā 2.70
What the verse says
Desires keep flowing in, like rivers into the ocean, which is always being filled yet always still. Only one who is not disturbed by them achieves peace, “and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires.”
Read 2.70 in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
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.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
Śrīla Prabhupāda says that as long as we have a body, desires will come. The devotee is not disturbed by them because he is full in himself, like the ocean, while those who chase the fulfilment of desires never attain peace.
“Because he remains satisfied in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he can remain steady, like the ocean, and therefore enjoy full peace.”
Lesson
Every fulfilled desire makes room for the next one. Peace does not wait at the end of the list; it comes when the heart is already full with Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Example
First a scooter, then a car, then a bigger car: the list never ends. One who finds joy in serving Kṛṣṇa can use what comes and let the rest go.
-
Let go of “I” and “mine”
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ Bhagavad-gītā 2.71
What the verse says
One who has given up desires for sense gratification, lives free from desires, has given up all sense of proprietorship and is devoid of false ego, “he alone can attain real peace.”
Read 2.71 in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
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.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this is not an artificial attempt to kill all desire. Since Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of everything, the desire to please Him is real desirelessness; what we must change is the quality of our desires.
“The living entity cannot be desireless or senseless, but he does have to change the quality of the desires.”
Lesson
You do not have to become empty to be peaceful. Turn your desires towards Kṛṣṇa, and hold what you have as His, given to you to use in His service.
Example
A manager who thinks “my department, my credit” is anxious all the time. The same manager, thinking “this is Kṛṣṇa’s work, given to me to do well,” can sleep in peace.
-
Work honestly, and be content with what comes
yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo Bhagavad-gītā 4.22
What the verse says
One who is satisfied with gain that comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and envy, and who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, even while acting.
Read 4.22 in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady both in success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes such a person as one who neither begs nor borrows, but works honestly as far as he can and is satisfied with what that honest work brings. Acting for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction, he stays steady in success and failure.
“he labors honestly as far as is in his power, and is satisfied with whatever is obtained by his own honest labor.”
Lesson
Contentment is not laziness. Do your best, honestly; then accept the result calmly, and stop measuring your life against your neighbour’s.
Example
Two shopkeepers earn the same. One is happy and sleeps well; the other is miserable because the shop across the road earns more. The difference is not money, but contentment and freedom from envy.
-
See Kṛṣṇa’s mercy even in difficulty
santuṣṭaḥ satataṁ yogī Bhagavad-gītā 12.13–14
What the verse says
The devotee who is very dear to Kṛṣṇa is equal in happiness and distress, “always satisfied” and engaged in devotional service with determination, with his mind and intelligence in agreement with Kṛṣṇa.
Read 12.13–14 in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me—he is very dear to Me.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
Śrīla Prabhupāda says that when a devotee meets distress, he thinks it is the Lord’s mercy: by his past misdeeds he deserved far more suffering, and he is receiving only a little. So he remains calm, quiet and patient, satisfied with whatever comes by the Lord’s grace.
“Whenever a devotee is in distress or has fallen into difficulty, he thinks that it is the Lord's mercy upon him.”
Lesson
Instead of asking “Why me?”, try asking “What is Kṛṣṇa teaching me?” Accepting a difficulty as His mercy takes away its bitterness and leaves room for peace.
Example
A man loses an important contract. He could spend weeks in anger. Instead he thinks, “It could have been worse; Kṛṣṇa is protecting me,” and returns to work with a lighter heart.
-
Peace is a gift of Kṛṣṇa’s mercy
prasanna-cetaso hy āśu Bhagavad-gītā 2.65
What the verse says
One who controls the senses by practising regulated principles obtains the complete mercy of the Lord 2.64. For one so situated, the threefold miseries of material existence “exist no longer,” and in that happy state the intelligence soon becomes steady.
Read 2.65 in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
For one who is so situated in the Divine consciousness, the threefold miseries of material existence exist no longer; in such a happy state, one's intelligence soon becomes steady.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that controlling the senses artificially is not enough; when they are engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service, the devotee acts only for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction and is free from attachment. This consciousness is the Lord’s causeless mercy.
“This consciousness is the causeless mercy of the Lord, which the devotee can achieve in spite of his being attached to the sensual platform.”
Lesson
We cannot force the mind into peace. Keep simple regulated habits, use your senses in Kṛṣṇa’s service, and peace comes as His gift.
Example
Someone who tries to calm down by sheer willpower stays tense. Someone who starts the day with chanting, offers his meals and listens to the Gītā finds his mind growing clear, almost without noticing.
-
The peace formula: Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer, the owner and our friend
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati Bhagavad-gītā 5.29
What the verse says
Knowing Kṛṣṇa as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, the sages attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.
Read 5.29 in Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
Śrīla Prabhupāda calls this the formula for peace. Under illusion we try to be lords of all we survey, though we are under the strict rules of material nature; peace, for one person or for the world, comes only when we accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme master and offer everything to His service.
“The greatest peace formula is simply this: Lord Kṛṣṇa is the beneficiary in all human activities.”
Lesson
Remember three things: we work for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure, everything belongs to Him, and He is our best well-wisher. Live by these, and the reasons for anxiety fall away.
Example
A trusted employee of a kind and wealthy owner does not lie awake over the company’s money. He works sincerely, knowing it is the owner’s business and that the owner cares for him.
Where do we look for peace?
| Peace as the world seeks it | Peace as the Gītā gives it | Verse |
|---|---|---|
| “I’ll be at peace once this problem is over.” | “Problems come and go like seasons; I do my duty through them.” | 2.14 |
| “I’ll be happy when I get what I want.” | “Desires never end; satisfaction in serving Kṛṣṇa brings peace.” | 2.70 |
| “This is mine, and I must hold on to it.” | “Everything is Kṛṣṇa’s; I am His servant.” | 2.71 |
| “I need what others have.” | “I work honestly and am content with what comes.” | 4.22 |
| “Why is this happening to me?” | “Even in difficulty, Kṛṣṇa’s mercy is with me.” | 12.13–14 |
| “I am the owner and the controller.” | “Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer, the owner and my best friend.” | 5.29 |
Our reflections, each based on the verse named beside it.
Ask yourself
- Where am I looking for peace: in more things and achievements, or in Kṛṣṇa?
- Which changing situation am I waiting to end before I let myself be at peace?
- What do I think of as “mine” that I could begin to see as Kṛṣṇa’s?
- Am I content with what my honest effort brings, or do I keep comparing myself with others?
- In my present difficulty, can I see Kṛṣṇa’s mercy?
The essence
Peace does not come from getting everything we want. It comes from knowing Kṛṣṇa as the enjoyer and owner of all and our dearest friend, and from being satisfied in His service.
Spiritual practice brings real peace, but if worry, sadness or sleeplessness stay with you for weeks, please also speak to a doctor or someone you trust. Seeking help is not a lack of faith.
The headings, explanations, lessons, examples, table and questions are ours, written to help you apply the verses. The Sanskrit lines, the verse translations and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s quoted words are from Bhagavad-gītā As It Is as published on vedabase.cc, unaltered.
All the verses for this topic
-
Bhagavad-gītā 5.29
The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.
Why this verse is here
One who knows Kṛṣṇa attains peace from the pangs of material miseries. (5.29 bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ...)
From the thematic compilation Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
From the purport to 5.29
The conditioned souls within the clutches of illusory energy are all anxious to attain peace in the material world. But they do not know the formula for peace, which is explained in this part of the Bhagavad-gītā. The greatest peace formula is simply this: Lord Kṛṣṇa is the beneficiary in all human activities. Men should offer everything to the transcendental service of the Lord because He is the proprietor of all planets and the demigods thereon. No one is greater than He. He is greater than the greatest of the demigods, Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. In the Vedas the Supreme Lord is described as tam īśvarāṇāṁ paramaṁ maheśvaram. Under the spell of illusion, living entities are trying to be lords of all they survey, but actually they are dominated by the material energy of the Lord. …
-
Bhagavad-gītā 2.65
For one who is so situated in the Divine consciousness, the threefold miseries of material existence exist no longer; in such a happy state, one's intelligence soon becomes steady.
Why this verse is here
For a satisfied person, the threefold miseries don’t exist. (2.65 prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ...)
From the thematic compilation Equanimity and Satisfaction
-
Bhagavad-gītā 4.22
He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady both in success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.
Why this verse is here
There is no entanglement for one who is satisfied with gain that comes of its own accord. (4.22 yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo...)
From the thematic compilation Equanimity and Satisfaction
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
From the purport to 4.22
A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not make much endeavor even to maintain his body. He is satisfied with gains which are obtained of their own accord. He neither begs nor borrows, but he labors honestly as far as is in his power, and is satisfied with whatever is obtained by his own honest labor. He is therefore independent in his livelihood. He does not allow anyone's service to hamper his own service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. However, for the service of the Lord he can participate in any kind of action without being disturbed by the duality of the material world. The duality of the material world is felt in terms of heat and cold, or misery and happiness. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person is above duality because he does not hesitate to act in any way for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is steady both in success and in failure. …
-
Bhagavad-gītā 12.14
One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me—he is very dear to Me.
Why this verse is here
Satisfaction is the quality that endears one to Lord Kṛṣṇa (12.14 santuṣṭaḥ satataṁ yogī, 12.19 santuṣṭo yena kenacit)
From the thematic compilation Equanimity and Satisfaction
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
From the purport to 12.13–14
Coming again to the point of pure devotional service, the Lord is describing the transcendental qualifications of a pure devotee in these two verses. A pure devotee is never disturbed in any circumstances. Nor is he envious of anyone. Nor does a devotee become his enemy's enemy; he thinks that one is acting as his enemy due to his own past misdeeds. Thus it is better to suffer than to protest. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated: tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣyamaṇo. Whenever a devotee is in distress or has fallen into difficulty, he thinks that it is the Lord's mercy upon him. He thinks: "Thanks to my past misdeeds I should suffer far, far greater than I am suffering now. So it is by the mercy of the Supreme Lord that I am not getting all the punishment I am due. …
-
Bhagavad-gītā 2.14
O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.
Why this verse is here
One has to tolerate happiness and distress by understanding them as temporary like changing seasons (2.14 mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya...)
From the thematic compilation Equanimity and Satisfaction
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains
From the purport to 2.14
In the proper discharge of duty, one has to learn to tolerate nonpermanent appearances and disappearances of happiness and distress. According to Vedic injunction, one has to take his bath early in the morning even during the month of Māgha (January-February). It is very cold at that time, but in spite of that a man who abides by the religious principles does not hesitate to take his bath. Similarly, a woman does not hesitate to cook in the kitchen in the months of May and June, the hottest part of the summer season. One has to execute his duty in spite of climatic inconveniences. Similarly, to fight is the religious principle of the kṣatriyas, and although one has to fight with some friend or relative, one should not deviate from his prescribed duty. …
Everyday questions answered by these verses
Related topics
Anxiety and a restless mindFamily and relationshipsSuccess and failure
Each verse is linked to this topic by a statement in our primary study source, shown under “Why this verse is here”. The verses and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s words are quoted from Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, unaltered.