Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18, Verse 30

प्रवृत्तिंच निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये |
बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्तिबुद्धि: सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी || 30||

pravṛittiṁ cha nivṛittiṁ cha kāryākārye bhayābhaye
bandhaṁ mokṣhaṁ cha yā vetti buddhiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī

pravṛittim—activities; cha—and; nivṛittim—renuncation from action; cha—and; kārya—proper action; akārye—improper action; bhaya—fear; abhaye—without fear; bandham—what is binding; mokṣham—what is liberating; cha—and; yā—which; vetti—understands; buddhiḥ—intellect; sā—that; pārtha—son of Pritha; sāttvikī—in the nature of goodness

Translation:

O Arjuna! That intellect that knows what is righteous action (or karma marga) and cessation of unrighteous action ( or sannyasa marga), what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation, is Sattvic.

Commentary:

The Sattvic intellect discriminates between what is good and what is bad, adopts that which is good, and gives up what is evil. So also, it discriminates between bondage and liberation, gives up the former, and follows the path of Moksha. It gives up the world which causes fear, takes to the path of Brahman, and attains fearlessness and joy. The Sattvic intellect is the highest instrument for self-realisation. Everyone should examine himself and find out whether his intellect is pure in the eyes of God. Intellect by itself however short and powerful it may be in worldly matters, does not help men to reach the highest goal.

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WRONGLY APPLIED FEAR

Swamiji Siddhinathananda from Kerala, who was deeply learned in the śāstras and also very humorous, once narrated this anecdote. One day, while walking along a street, he saw a mother feeding her child. The child was wailing and refusing to eat. Then, pointing to the Swami, the mother threatened the child, saying, “See, there goes poochāṇḍi (the ghost). I will make him catch hold of you if you do not eat.” The Swami wondered, “What a specimen of a mother! What will happen to the child in future? The child will be afraid of all monks.”

Fear should be employed in those places that are likely to pull one down the ladder of spiritual evolution. Bhartṛhari says in another verse, “Despite seeing such intense impact of ignorance in worldly life—seeing so many births and deaths, so many people diseased, so much misery born out of ignorance—this person is not afraid because he is intoxicated by the wine of ignorance—pramāda-madirā.” (Source: Srimad Bhagavad Gita – Elixir of Eternal Wisdom | Vol 3)

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Question: What is the nature of the Sattvic intellect?

Answer: It is capable of discriminating.

1. between Dharma and Adharma.
2. between what ought to be done, and what ought not to be done.
3. between fear and fearlessness; and.
4. between bondage and liberation.

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18 🔻 (78 Verses)

01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50
51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59	60
61	62	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70
71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78