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Study a Verse
Pick any verse to see what it means and how to use it in your life.
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 17.16
मन:प्रसाद: सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रह: ।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत्तपो मानसमुच्यते ॥ १६ ॥
manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ
maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ
bhāva-saṁśuddhir ity etat
tapo mānasam ucyate
And satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purification of one’s existence are the austerities of the mind.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purification of one’s existence are austerities of the mind.
Prabhupāda explains that satisfaction comes only by turning the mind away from sense enjoyment. Purifying one’s nature means becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Read Vedic literature, think of others’ welfare and be straightforward in your dealings.
Austerity of mind (5 points)
Gravity in thought
Satisfaction
Simplicity
Self-control
Purification of one’s existence
Basic principle to practice this austerity of mind — To make mind austere, one must detach from sense gratification and train the mind to always think good for others
Gravity in thought — Best training for the mind –
Not deviate from Krishna consciousness
Always avoid sense gratification
Satisfaction
Obtained by taking mind away from thoughts of sense enjoyment
Best course to divert the mind
Not by the present age engagements
But by Vedic literatures (Satisfying stories like Puranas and Mahabharata)
Simplicity — Devoid of duplicity and think of others welfare
Self-control
Control of mind implies, detachment from sense gratification
Silence implies always thinking of self-realisation
Purification of one’s existence
By straightforward dealings
Austerities can be of the body, speech and mind
Each of these can be performed in goodness, passion and ignorance
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: daivī-sampat, dharma.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 17.16 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to character & ethics?
Choose one virtue to practice consciously today.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.