Shloka

बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम् |
धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ ||७-११||

Transliteration

balaṃ balavatāṃ cāhaṃ kāmarāgavivarjitam .
dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo.asmi bharatarṣabha ||7-11||

Translations

Dr.S.Sankaranarayan

7.11. Of the strong, I am the strength that is free from desire and attachment. O best of the Bharatas, in [all] beings I am the desire which is not opposed to attributes.

Shri Purohit Swami

7.11 I am the Strength of the strong, of them who are free from attachment and desire; and, O Arjuna, I am the Desire for righteousness.

Sri Abhinav Gupta

7.10-11 Bijam etc. Balam etc. The seed : the subtle prime cause. The strength, free from desire and attachment : It is of the nature of vigour and is capable of supporting all that exist. Deire : the Will, which is nothing but Pure Consciousness and which is not opposed to any of the attributes (its objects) like pot, cloth etc. For, the Will, because it is the [conscious] energy of the Bhagavat, is immanent in all and nowhere is it opposed, eventhough it is being differentiated (i.e. the wills or desires are classified) on account of its attributes like pot, cloth etc., which are [only] accidental. Thus the wise, because they are devoted to this Will, are of the nature of Pure Consciousness. That has been said also in the Sivopanisad as -

‘[A man of wisdom] would concentrate his mind on the Will or [Self] Consciousness that arises’. (VB, 98)

[Here in this otation] that arises means ’that has just risen but has not yet spread outside.’

Ignoring this way of interpretation [of the Gita passage] some interpret it so as to bring out the idea ‘He would enjoy the group of the three, not hindering mutually’. These (commentators) are ignorant of the customs (karma) sanctioned by the traditions; yet they interpret the secret about the Absolute ! No doubt they deserve [our] salutation.

Sri Ramanuja

7.8 - 7.11 All these entities with their peculiar characteristic are born from Me alone. They depend on Me; inasmuch as they constitute My body, they exist in Me alone. Thus I alone exist while all of them are only My modes.

Sri Shankaracharya

7.11 I am the balam, strength, ability, virility; balavatam, of the strong. That strength, again, is kama-raga-vivarjitam, devoid of passion and attachment. Kamah is passion, hankering for things not at hand. Ragah is attachment, fondness for things acired. I am the strength that is devoid of them and is necessary merely for the maintenance of the body etc., but not that strength of the worldly which causes hankering and attachment. Further, bhutesu, among creatures; I am that kamah, desire-such desires as for eating, drinking, etc. which are for the mere maintenance of the body and so on; which is dharma-aviruddhah, not contrary to righteousness, not opposed to scriptural injunctions; bharatarsabha, O scion of the Bharata dynasty. Moreover,

Swami Adidevananda

7.11 In the strong, I am strength, devoid of desire and passion. In all beings, I am the desire which is not forbidden by law (Dharma), O Arjuna.

Swami Gambirananda

7.11 And of the strong I am the strength which is devoid of passion and attachment. Among creatures I am desire which is not contrary to righteousness, O scion of the Bharata dyansty.

Swami Sivananda

7.11 Of the strong, I am the strength devoid of desire and attachment, and in (all) beings, I am the desire unopposed to Dharma, O Arjuna.

Commentaries

Swami Sivananda

7.11 बलम् strength? बलवताम् of the strong? अस्मि am (I)? कामरागविवर्जितम् devoid of desire and attachment? धर्माविरुद्धः unopposed to Dharma? भूतेषु in beings? कामः desire? अस्मि am (I)? भरतर्षभ O Lord of the Bharatas.Commentary Kama Desire for those objects that come in contact with the senses.Raga attachment for those objects that come in contact with the senses.I am that strength which is necessary for the bare sustenance of the body. I am not the strength which generates desire and attachment for sensual objects as in the case of worldlyminded persons. I am the desire which is in accordance with the teachings of the scriptures or the code prescribing the duties of life. I am the desire for moderate eating and drinking? etc.? which are,necessary for the sustenance of the body and which help one in the practice of Yoga.