Verse 21
सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् | वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः || २१ ||
Transliteration
sukham ātyantikaṃ yat tad buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam vetti yatra na caivāyaṃ sthitaś calati tattvataḥ
Synonyms
sukham—happiness; ātyantikam—supreme; yat—which; tat—that; buddhi—by intelligence; grāhyam—accessible; atīndriyam—transcendental; vetti—knows; yatra—wherein; na—never; ca—also; eva—certainly; ayam—he; sthitaḥ—situated; calati—moves; tattvataḥ—from the truth.
Translation
“Where one knows the transcendental happiness accessible to the intellect but beyond the senses — established in which, one does not move from truth —”
Multi-Tradition Commentary
The happiness described here (ātyantikaṃ sukham — supreme happiness) is categorically different from sense-pleasure. It is atīndriyam — beyond the range of the senses. It is not heard, seen, touched, tasted, or smelled. But it is not inaccessible: it is graspable by a purified intellect (buddhi-grāhyam). This is the happiness of samadhi — infinite, not dependent on any external condition, and so stabilising that one 'does not move from truth.'
Practical Application (Modern Life)
The happiness you are seeking through all your external pursuits — recognition, relationships, achievements — is a distorted reflection of this inner happiness. Taste it even briefly in meditation and you will understand why the sages called it the only happiness worth having.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 6.21 mean?
Where one knows the transcendental happiness accessible to the intellect but beyond the senses — established in which, one does not move from truth —
What is the word-by-word meaning of Bhagavad Gita 6.21?
sukham—happiness; ātyantikam—supreme; yat—which; tat—that; buddhi—by intelligence; grāhyam—accessible; atīndriyam—transcendental; vetti—knows; yatra—wherein; na—never; ca—also; eva—certainly; ayam—he; sthitaḥ—situated; calati—moves; tattvataḥ—from the truth.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 6.21 in daily life?
The happiness you are seeking through all your external pursuits — recognition, relationships, achievements — is a distorted reflection of this inner happiness. Taste it even briefly in meditation and you will understand why the sages called it the only happiness worth having.