यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं मदमेव च ।न विमुञ्चति दुर्मेधा धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसी ॥
yayā svapnaṃ bhayaṃ śokaṃ viṣādaṃ madam eva ca |na vimuñcati durmedhā dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha tāmasī ||
- यया · yayā
- by which
- स्वप्नम् · svapnam
- sleep, dreaming
- भयम् · bhayam
- fear
- शोकम् · śokam
- grief
- विषादम् · viṣādam
- despondency
- मदम् · madam
- intoxication, arrogance
- न · na
- not
- विमुञ्चति · vimuñcati
- gives up
- दुर्मेधा · durmedhā
- the dull-witted one
- धृतिः · dhṛtiḥ
- resolve
- पार्थ · pārtha
- O Partha
- तामसी · tāmasī
- tamasic
“The resolve by which a dull-witted one refuses to give up sleep, fear, grief, despondency, and intoxication — that, O Partha, is tamasic.”
— Original plain-language translation
Tamasic 'resolve' is perverse perseverance — stubborn loyalty to sleep, dread, sorrow, gloom, and drink or pride. True dhṛti holds the mind up; this one holds it down. A sobering mirror: persistence is a virtue only when its object is worthy.
— Reader's notes (original)