Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 42

तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः । छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत

tasmādajñānasambhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinātmanaḥ | chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata

Translation

Therefore with the sword of wisdom cleave asunder this doubt of the Self lying in the heart and born of ignorance, and resort to Yoga. Arise, O Bhārata.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

tasmāt

therefore

ajñānasambhūtam

from ignorance, born

hṛtstham

heart-seated

jñānāsinā

of wisdom, by the sword

ātmanaḥ

of the Self

chittvā

having cloven

enam

this

saṃśayam

doubt

yogam

yoga

ātiṣṭha

practise

uttiṣṭha

stand up

bhārata

O Bhārata

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

Doubt is most sinful. It is born of ignorance and lies in the buddhi. Kill it by wisdom, by right knowledge of the Self. Knowledge is destructive of all evil, such as grief, folly, and the like. Having thus slain doubt, the cause of thy ruin, apply thyself to Karma-Yoga, the means of acquiring right knowledge. Now arise and fight, O descendant of Bhārata.