अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति ।नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥
ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca saṃśayātmā vinaśyati |nāyaṃ loko 'sti na paro na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ ||
- अज्ञः · ajñaḥ
- the ignorant
- च · ca
- and
- अश्रद्दधानः · aśraddadhānaḥ
- the faithless
- संशयात्मा · saṃśayātmā
- the doubting self
- विनश्यति · vinaśyati
- perishes, is lost
- न · na
- not
- अयम् · ayam
- this
- लोकः · lokaḥ
- world
- अस्ति · asti
- is
- परः · paraḥ
- the next, higher
- सुखम् · sukham
- happiness
“The ignorant, the faithless, and the doubting self perish. Neither this world nor the next — nor happiness — belongs to the doubter.”
— Original plain-language translation
The counterpart to verse 39: settled doubt (saṃśaya as a dwelling-place, not honest inquiry like Arjuna's) ruins both worlds. Ignorance may be curable and faith learnable, but chronic suspension between the two enjoys nothing. Decisive trust is the remedy.
— Reader's notes (original)