Gita map, what troubles us
आलस्य Inertia
Dullness, putting things off. Linked to 5 of the core shlokas.
1. See how it works
- 3.8
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः।
शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ
Perform your bounden duty, for action is superior to inaction, and even the maintenance of the body would not be possible for you through inaction.
śharīra-yātrāpi cha te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ - 14.8
तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्।
प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām
But know thou Tamas to be born of ignorance, deluding all embodied beings; it binds fast, O Arjuna, through heedlessness, indolence, and sleep.
pramādālasya-nidrābhis tan nibadhnāti bhārata - 14.13
अप्रकाशोऽप्रवृत्तिश्च प्रमादो मोह एव च।
तमस्येतानि जायन्ते विवृद्धे कुरुनन्दन ॥aprakāśho ’pravṛittiśh cha pramādo moha eva cha
Darkness, inertia, carelessness, and delusion—these arise when Tamas is predominant, O Arjuna.
tamasy etāni jāyante vivṛiddhe kuru-nandana
2. What answers it
3. Verses to practise
- 6.5
उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet
One should raise oneself by one's own self alone; let not one lower oneself; for the self alone is one's own friend, and the self alone is one's own enemy.
ātmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ - 13.8
अमानित्वमदम्भित्वमहिंसा क्षान्तिरार्जवम्।
आचार्योपासनं शौचं स्थैर्यमात्मविनिग्रहः ॥amānitvam adambhitvam ahinsā kṣhāntir ārjavam
Humility, unpretentiousness, non-injury, forgiveness, uprightness, service to the teacher, purity, steadfastness, and self-control.
āchāryopāsanaṁ śhauchaṁ sthairyam ātma-vinigrahaḥ - 16.1
अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिः ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः।
दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ॥abhayaṁ sattva-sanśhuddhir jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ
The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and yoga, almsgiving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity, and straightforwardness.
dānaṁ damaśh cha yajñaśh cha svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam - 16.3
तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता।
भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत ॥tejaḥ kṣhamā dhṛitiḥ śhaucham adroho nāti-mānitā
Vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, absence of pride—these belong to one born for a divine state, O Arjuna.
bhavanti sampadaṁ daivīm abhijātasya bhārata