BhG 5.22

syntax

he kaunteya (O son of Kuntī!),
ye bhogāḥ (these luxuries which) saṁsparśa-jāḥ (born from perception),
te hi (indeed they) duḥkha-yonayaḥ eva (being only the sources of distress) ādy-antavantaḥ (having beginning and end) [santi] (they are).
teṣu [bhogeṣu] (in those luxuries) budhaḥ (the wise man) na ramate (he does not rejoice).

grammar

ye	–	yat sn. 1n.3 m. – these which;
hi	–	av. – because, just, indeed, surely;
saṁsparśa-jāḥ	–	saṁ-sparśa-ja 1n.3 m. – born from perception (from: sam-√spṛś – to touch, saṁsparśa – touch, sensation; √jan – to be born; –ja – suffix: born);
bhogāḥ	–	bhoga 1n.3 m. – enjoyments, luxuries, wealth (from: √bhuj – to eat, to enjoy);
duḥkha-yonayaḥ	–	duḥkha-yoni 1n.3 m.; TP: duḥkhasya yonaya iti – sources of distress (from: dur / dus – prefix: difficult, bad, hard; kha – cavity, hole, nave; duḥ-kha – pain, difficulty; literally: bad hole in the nave [of a wheel through which an axis runs] that makes the moving not smooth; or from: duḥ-√sthā; opposite to: sukha – joy, happiness; yoni – womb, source, origin);
eva	–	av. – certainly, just, merely;
te	–	tat sn. 1n.3 m. – they;
ādy-antavantaḥ	–	ādy-anta-vant 1n.3 m. – which have beginning and end (from: ādi – beginning, source; anta – the end, limit, boundary, death; -mant / -vant – suffix denoting one who possesses)
kaunteya	–	kaunteya 8n.1 m. – O son of Kuntī (from: kunti – the people of Kunti, kuntī – Kuntī, mother of the sons of Pāṇḍu);
na	–	av. – not;
teṣu	–	tat sn. 7n.3 m. – in those;
ramate	–	√ram (to play, to rejoice) Praes. Ā 1v.1 – he rejoices;
budhaḥ	–	budha 1n.1 m. – intelligent, clever, wise (from: √budh – to wake, to perceive, to understand);

textual variants

hi → ca (and);
saṁsparśa-jā → saṁsarga-jā (born from emanation);
bhogā → bhāvā (beings);

Śāṃkara

itaś ca nivartayet—

ye hi yasmāt saṃssparśajā viṣayendriya-saṃsparśebhyo jātā bhogā bhuktayo duḥkha-yonaya eva te, avidyā-kṛtatvāt | dṛśyante hy ādhyātmikādīni duḥkhāni tan-nimittāny eva | yathā iha-loke tathā para-loke’pīti gamyate eva-śabdāt | na saṃsāre sukhasya gandha-mātram apy astīti buddhvā viṣaya-mṛga-tṛṣṇikāyā indriyāṇi nivartayet | na kevalaṃ duḥkha-yonaya eva, ādy-anta-vantaś ca, ādir viṣayendriya-saṃyogo bhogānām antaś ca tad-viyoga eva | ataḥ ādy-anta-vanto’nityāḥ, madhya-kṣaṇa-bhāvitvāt ity arthaḥ | kaunteya, na teṣu bhogeṣu ramate budho viveky avagata-paramārtha-tattvaḥ | atyanta-mūḍhānām eva hi viṣayeṣu ratir dṛśyate, yathā paśu-prabhṛtīnām

Rāmānuja

prākṛtasya bhogasya sutyajatām āha

viṣayendriyasparśajāḥ ye bhogāḥ duḥkhayonayas te duḥkhodarkāḥ / ādyantavantaḥ alpakālavartino hi upalabhyante / na teṣu tadyāthātmyavid ramate

Śrīdhara

nanu priya-viṣaya-bhogānām api nivṛtteḥ kathaṃ mokṣaḥ puruṣārthaḥ syāt | tatrāha ye hīti | saṃsparśā viṣayās tebhyo jātā ye bhogāḥ sukhāni | te hi vartamāna-kāle ‚pi spardhāsūyādi-vyāptatvād duḥkhasyaiva yonayaḥ kāraṇa-bhūtāḥ | tathādimanto ‚ntavantaś ca | ato vivekī teṣu na ramate

Madhusūdana

nanu bāhya-viṣaya-prīti-nivṛttāv ātmany akṣaya-sukhānubhavas tasmiṃś ca sati tat-prasādād eva bāhya-viṣaya-prīti-nivṛttir itītaretarāśraya-vaśān naikam api sidhyed ity āśaṅkya viṣaya-doṣa-darśanābhyāsenaiva tat-prīti-nivṛttir bhavatīti parihāram āha ye hīti | hi yasmād ye saṃsparśajā viṣayendriya-sambandha-jā bhogāḥ kṣudra-sukha-lavānubhavā iha vā paratra vā rāga-dveṣādi-vyāptatvena duḥkha-yonaya eva te | te sarve ‚pi brahma-loka-paryantaṃ duḥkha-hetava eva | tad uktaṃ viṣṇu-purāṇe –

yāvataḥ kurute jantuḥ saṃbandhān manasaḥ priyān |
tāvanto ‚sya nisvanyante hṛdaye śoka-śaṅkavaḥ || iti |

etādṛśā aḸ na sthirāḥ kintu ādy-anta-vantaḥ | ādir viṣayendriya-saṃyogo ‚ntaś ca tad-viyoga evaṃ tau vidyete yeṣāṃ te pūrvāparayor asattvān madhye svapnavad āvirbhūtāḥ kṣaṇikā mithyā-bhūtāḥ | tad uktaṃ gauḍapādācāryaiḥ – ādāv ante ca yat tv asti vartamāne ‚pi tat tathā iti |

yasmād evaṃ tasmāt teṣu budho vivekī na ramate pratikūla-vedanīyatvāc ca prītim anubhavati | tad uktaṃ bhagavatā patañjalinā pariṇāma-tāpa-saṃskāra-duḥkhair guṇa-vṛtti-virodhāc ca duḥkham eva sarvaṃ vivekinaḥ [YogS 2.15] iti | sarvam api viṣaya-sukhaṃ dṛṣṭam ānuśravikaṃ ca duḥkham eva pratikūla-vedanīyatvāt | vivekinaḥ parijñāta-kleśādi-svarūpasya na tv avivekinaḥ | akṣi-pātra-kalpo hi vidvān atyalpa-duḥkha-leśenāpy udvijate yathorṇa-tantur atisukumāro ‚py akṣi-pātre nyastaḥ sparśena duḥkhayati netareṣv aṅgeṣu tadvad vivekina eva madhu-viṣa-saṃpṛktānna-bhojanavat sarvam api bhoga-sādhanaṃ kāla-traye ‚pi kleśānubiddhatvād duḥkhaṃ na mūḍhasya bahuvidha-duḥkha-sahiṣṇor ity arthaḥ | tatra pariṇāma-tāpa-saṃskāra-duḥkhair iti bhūta-vartamāna-bhaviṣyt-kāle ‚pi duḥkhānubiddhatvād aupādhikaṃ duḥkhatvaṃ viṣaya-sukhasyoktaṃ, guṇa-vṛtti-virodhāc cety anena svarūpato ‚pi duḥkhatvam | tatra pariṇāmaś ca tāpaś ca saṃskāraś ca ta eva duḥkhāni tair ity arthaḥ | itthaṃ-bhūta-lakṣaṇe tṛtīyā | tathā hi – rāgānubiddha eva sarvo ‚pi sukhānubhavaḥ | na hi tatra na rajyati tena sukhī ceti sambhavati | rāga eva ca pūrvam udbhūtaḥ san viṣaya-prāptyā sukha-rūpeṇa pariṇamate | tasya ca pratikṣaṇaṃ vardhamānatvena sva-viṣayāprāpti-nibandhana-duḥkhasyāparihāryatvād duḥkha-rūpataiva | yā hi bhogeṣv indriyāṇām upaśāntiḥ paritṛptatvāt tat sukham | yā laulyād anupaśāntis tad duḥkham | na cendriyāṇāṃ bhogābhyāsena vaitṛṣṇyaṃ kartuṃ śakyam | yato bhogābhyāsam anu vivardhante rāgāḥ kauśalāni cendriyāṇāṃ | smṛtiś ca –

na jātu kāmaḥ kāmānām upabhogena śāmyati |
haviṣā kṛṣṇa-vartmaiva bhūya evābhivardhate || iti |

tasmād duḥkhātmaka-rāga-pariṇāmatvād viṣaya-sukham api duḥkham eva kārya-kāraṇayor abhedād iti pariṇāma-duḥkhatvam |

tathā sukhānubhava-kāle tat-pratikūlāni duḥkha-sādhanāni dveṣṭi | nānupahatya bhūtāny upabhogaḥ sambhavatīti bhūtāni ca hinasti | dveṣaś ca sarvāṇi duḥkha-sādhanāni me mā bhūvann iti saṅkalpa-viśeṣaḥ | na ca tāni sarvāṇi kaścid api parihartuṃ śaknoti | ataḥ sukhānubhava-kāle ‚pi tat-paripanthinaṃ prati dveṣasya sarvadaivāvasthitatvāt tāpa-duḥkhaṃ duṣparihāram eva | tāpo hi dveṣaḥ | evaṃ duḥkha-sādhanāni parihartum aśakto muhyati ceti moha-duḥkhatāpi vyākhyeyā | tathā coktaṃ yoga-bhāṣya-kāraiḥ – sarvasya dveṣānubiddhaś cetanācetana-sādhanādhīnas tāpānubhava iti | tatrāsti dveṣajaḥ karmāśayaḥ | sukha-sādhanāni ca prārthayamānaḥ kāyena vācā manasā ca parispandate | tataḥ param anugṛṇāty upahanti ceti parānuraha-pīḍābhyāṃ dharmādharmāv upacinoti | na karmāśayo lobhān mohāc ca bhavati ity eṣā tāpa-duḥkhatocyate | tathā vartamānaḥ sukhānubhavaḥ sva-vināśa-kāle saṃskāram ādhatte | sa ca sukha-smaraṇaṃ, tac ca rāgaṃ, sa ca manaḥ-kāya-vacana-ceṣṭāṃ, sā ca puṇyāpuṇya-karmāśayau, tau ca janmādīti saṃskāra-duḥkhatā | evaṃ tāpa-mohayor api saṃskārau vyākhyeyau |

evaṃ kāla-traye ‚pi duḥkhānuvedhād viṣaya-sukhaṃ duḥkham evety uktvā svarūpato ‚pi duḥkhatām āha guṇa-vṛtti-virodhāc ca | guṇāḥ sattva-rajas-tamāṃsi sukha-duḥkha-mohātmakāḥ paraspara-viruddha-svabhāvā api taila-varty-agnaya iva dīpaṃ puruṣa-bhogopayuktatvena try-ātmakam ekaṃ kāryam ārabhante tatraikasya prādhānye dvayor guṇa-bhāvāt pradhāna-mātra-vyapadeśena sāttvikaṃ rājasaṃ tāmasam iti triguṇam api kāryam ekena guṇena vyapadiśyate | tatra sukhopabhoga-rūpo ‚pi pratyaya udbhūta-sattva-kāryatve ‚py anudbhūta-rajas-tamaḥ-kāryatvāt triguṇātmaka eva | tathā ca sukhātmakatvavad duḥkhātmakatvaṃ viṣādātmakatvaṃ ca tasya dhruvam iti duḥkham eva sarvaṃ vivekinaḥ | na caitādṛśo ‚pi pratyayaḥ sthiraḥ | yasmāc calaṃ ca guṇa-vṛttam iti kṣipra-pariṇāmi cittam uktam |

nanv ekaḥ pratyayaḥ kathaṃ paraspara-viruddha-sukha-duḥkha-mohatvāny ekadā pratipadyata iti cet, na | udbhūtānudbhūtayor virodhābhāvāt | sama-vṛttikānām eva hi guṇānāṃ yugapad virodho na viṣama-vṛttikānām | yathā dharma-jñāna-vairāgyaiśvaryāṇi labdha-vṛttikāni labdha-vṛttikair evādharmājñānāvairāgyānaiśvaryaiḥ saha virudhyante na tu svarūpa-sadbhiḥ | pradhānasya pradhānena saha virodho na tu durbaleneti hi nyāyaḥ | evaṃ sattva-rajas-tamāṃsy api parasparaṃ prādhānya-mātraṃ yugapan na sahante na tu sad-bhāvam api |

etena pariṇāma-tāpa-saṃskāra-duḥkheṣv api rāga-dveṣa-mohānāṃ yugapat sad-bhāvo vyākhyātaḥ prasupta-tanu-vicchinnodāra-rūpeṇa kleśānāṃ catur-avasthatvāt | tathā hi – avidyāsmitā-rāga-dveṣābhiniveśāḥ pañca-kleśāḥ | avidyā kṣetram uttareṣāṃ prasupta-tanu-vicchinnodārāṇām | anityāśuci-duḥkhānātmasu nitya-śuci-sukhātma-khyātir avidyā | dṛg-darśana-śaktyor ekātmataivāsmitā | sukhanuśayī rāgaḥ | duḥkhānuśayī dveṣaḥ | svarasa-vāhī viduṣo ‚pi tathārūḍho ‚bhiniveśaḥ | te pratiprasava-heyāḥ sūkṣmāḥ | dhyāna-heyās tad-vṛttayaḥ | kleśa-mūlaḥ karmāśayo dṛṣṭādṛṣṭa-janma-vedanīyaḥ | sati mūle tad-vipāko jātyāyur bhogāḥ [YogS 2.3-13] iti pātañjalāni sūtrāṇi | tatrātasmiṃs tad-buddhir viparyayo mithyā-jñānam avidyeti paryāyāḥ | tasyā viśeṣaḥ saṃsāra-nidānam | tatrānitye nitya-buddhir yathā – dhruvā pṛthivī dhruvā sa-candra-tārakā dyaur amṛtā divaukasa iti | aśucau parama-bībhatse kāye śuci-buddhir yathā naveva śaśāṅkalekhā kamanīyeyaṃ kanyā madhv-amṛtāvayava-nirmiteva candraṃ bhittvā niḥsṛteva jñāyate nīlotpala-patrāyatākṣī hāvagarbhābhyāṃ locanābhyāṃ jīva-lokam āśvāsayatīveti kasya kena sambandhaḥ |

sthānād bījād upaṣṭambhān
niṣyandān nidhanād api |
kāyam ādheya-śaucatvāt
paṇḍitā hy aśuciṃ viduḥ || iti ca vaiyāsaki-ślokaḥ |

etenāpuṇye puṇya-pratyayo ‚narthe cārtha-pratyayo vyākhyātaḥ | duḥkhe sukha-khyātir udāhṛtā pariṇāma-tāpa-saṃskāra-duḥkhair guṇa-vṛtti-virodhāc ca duḥkham eva sarvaṃ vivekina iti | anātmany ātma-khyātir yathā śarīre manuṣyo ‚ham ity ādiḥ | iyaṃ cāvidyā sarva-kleśa-mūla-bhūtā tama ity ucyate | buddhi-puruṣayor abhedābhimāno ‚smitā mohaḥ | sādhana-rahitasyāpi sarvaṃ sukha-jātīyaṃ me bhūyād iti viparyaya-viśeṣo rāgaḥ | sa eva mahā-mohaḥ | duḥkha-sādhane vidyamāne ‚pi kim api duḥkham me mā bhūd iti viparyaya-viśeṣo dveṣaḥ | sa tāmisraḥ | āyur-abhāve ‚py etaiḥ śarīrendriyādibhir anityair api viyogo me mā bhūd ity āvidvad-aṅganā-bālaṃ svābhāvikaḥ sarva-prāṇi-sādhāraṇo maraṇa-trāsa-rūpo viparyaya-viśeṣo ‚bhiniveśaḥ | so ‚ndha-tāmisraḥ | tad uktaṃ purāṇe-

tamo moho mahā-mohas tāmisro hy andha-saṃjñitaḥ |
avidyā pañca-parvaiṣā prādurbhūtā mahātmanaḥ || iti |

ete ca kleśāś catur avasthā bhavanti | tatrāsato ‚nutpatter anabhivyakta-rūpeṇāvasthānaṃ suptāvasthā | abhivyaktasyāpi saha-kārya-lābhāt kāryājanakatvaṃ tanv-avasthā | abhivyaktasya janita-kāryasyāpi kenacid balavatābhibhavo vicchedāvasthā | abhivyaktasya prāpta-sahakāri-sampatter apratibandhena sva-kārya-karatvam udārāvasthā | etādṛg avasthā-catuṣṭaya-viśiṣṭānām asmitādīnāṃ caturṇāṃ viparyaya-rūpāṇāṃ kleśānām avidyaiva sāmānya-rūpā kṣetraṃ prasava-bhūmiḥ | sarveṣām api viparyaya-rūpatvasya darśitatvāt | tenāvidyā-nivṛttyaiva kleśānāṃ nivṛttir ity arthaḥ | te ca kleśāḥ prasuptā yathā prakṛti-līnānāṃ, tanavaḥ pratipakṣa-bhāvanayā tanūkṛtā yathā yoginām | ta ubhaye ‚pi sūkṣmāḥ pratiprasavena mano-nirodhenaiva nirbīja-samādhinā heyāḥ | ye tu sūkṣma-vṛttayas tat-kārya-bhūtāḥ sthūlā vicchinnā udāhārāś ca vicchidya vicchidya tena tenātmanā punaḥ prādurbhavantīti vicchinnāḥ | yathā rāga-kāle krodho vidyamāno ‚pi na prādurbhūta iti vicchinna ucyate | evam ekasyāṃ striyāṃ caitro rakta iti nānyāsu viraktaḥ kintv ekasyāṃ rāgo labdha-vṛttir anyāsu ca bhaviṣyad-vṛttir iti sa tadā vicchinna ucyate, ye yadā viṣayeṣu labdha-vṛttayas te tadā sarvātmanā prādurbhūtā udārā ucyante, ta ubhaye ‚py atisthūlatvāc chuddha-sattva-bhavena bhagavad-dhyānena heyā na mano-niodham apekṣante | nirodha-heyās tu sūkṣmā eva | tathā ca pariṇāma-tāpa-saṃskāra-duḥkheṣu prasupta-tanu-vicchinna-rūpeṇa sarve kleśāḥ sarvadā santi | udāratā tu kadācit kasyacid iti viśeṣaḥ | ete ca bādhanā-lakṣaṇaṃ duḥkham upajanayantaḥ kleśa-śabda-vācyā bhavanti | yataḥ karmāśayo dharmādharmākhyaḥ kleśa-mūlaka eva | sati ca mūla-bhūte kleśe tasya karmāśayasya vipākaḥ phalaṃ janmāyur bhogaś ceti | sa ca karmāśaya iha paratra ca sva-vipākārambhakatvena dṛṣṭādṛṣṭa-janma-vedanīyaḥ | evaṃ kleśa-santatir ghaṭī-yantravad aniśam āvartate | ataḥ samīcīnam uktaṃ ye hi saṃsparśajā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te ādyantavanta iti | duḥkha-yonitvaṃ pariṇāmādibhir guṇa-vṛtti-virodhāc ca ādyantavattvaṃ guṇa-vṛttasya calatvād iti yoga-mate vyākhyā |

aupaniṣadānāṃ tu anādi bhāva-rūpam ajñānam avidyā | ahaṃkāra-dharmy-adhyāso ‚smitā | rāga-dveṣābhiniveśās tad-vṛtti-viśeṣā ity avidyā-mūlatvāt sarve ‚py avidyātmakatvena mithyā-bhūtā rajju-bhujaṅgādhyāsavan mithyātve ‚pi duḥkha-yonayaḥ svapnādivad dṛṣṭi-sṛṣṭi-mātratvenādyantavantaś ceti budho ‚dhiṣṭhāna-sākṣātkāreṇa nivṛtta-bhramas teṣu na ramate, mṛga-tṛṣṇikā-svarūpa-jñānavān iva tatrodakārthī na pravartate | na saṃsāre sukhasya gandha-mātram apy astīti buddhvā tataḥ sarvāṇīndriyāṇi nivartayed ity arthaḥ

Viśvanātha

vivekavān eva vastuto viṣaya-sukhenaiva sajjatīty āha ye hīti

Baladeva

adṛṣṭākṛṣṭeṣu viṣaya-bhogeṣv anityatva-viniścayān na sajjatīty āha ye hīti | saṃsparśajā viṣaya-janyā bhogāḥ sukhāni | sphuṭam anyat