Verse 2.41

व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन ।

बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ॥

2.41

Transliteration

vyavasāyātmikā buddhirekeha kurunandana |

bahuśākhā hyanantāśca buddhayo'vyavasāyinām ||

By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · @indic-transliteration/sanscript 1.3.3

Translation

Here, O joy of the Kurus, there is but a single one-pointed determination; many-branched and endless are the thoughts of the irresolute.

From the owner's sheet · +1 more

Word by word

resolute
understanding
one
here
O joy of the Kurus

many-branched
indeed
endless
and
understandings
of the irresolute

By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08

Explanation

Krishna contrasts two kinds of mind. The understanding (buddhi) that is resolute, firmly decided, is single and focused. The thoughts of those who lack resolve branch out endlessly, pulled in many directions. In context, this prepares a criticism of people who chase many separate goals through ritual. More broadly, the verse describes a psychological truth: a mind scattered among countless desires cannot act clearly, while a mind gathered around one purpose has strength and direction.