Gita Verses on Building Self-Worth and Confidence

This guide brings together 4 verses from the Bhagavad Gita on building self-worth and confidence, drawn from chapters 2, 6, 16 and 18.

The Gita's view of self-worth is foundational: every being shares in the divine, and the inmost self is unborn, imperishable, and beyond what anyone can give or take. Worth is not earned by performance.

1. Verse 1 of 4Bhagavad Gita 6.5 →

   उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।

   uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

   Let a person lift himself by his own self; let him not degrade himself. For the self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is its enemy.

   मनुष्य अपने द्वारा अपना उद्धार करे और अपने को गिरने न दे, क्योंकि मनुष्य स्वयं ही अपना मित्र है और स्वयं ही अपना शत्रु है।

2. Verse 2 of 4Bhagavad Gita 2.3 →

   क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते।

   klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitat tvayyupapadyate kṣhudraṁ hṛidaya-daurbalyaṁ tyaktvottiṣhṭha parantapa

   Do not yield to impotence, O Arjuna, son of Pritha. It does not befit you. Cast off this mean weakness of the heart! Stand up, O conqueror of foes!

   हे पृथानन्दन अर्जुन ! इस नपुंसकताको मत प्राप्त हो; क्योंकि तुम्हारेमें यह उचित नहीं है। हे परंतप ! हृदयकी इस तुच्छ दुर्बलताका त्याग करके युद्धके लिये खड़े हो जाओ।

3. Verse 3 of 4Bhagavad Gita 16.1 →

   श्री भगवानुवाच

   śhrī-bhagavān uvācha abhayaṁ sattva-sanśhuddhir jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ dānaṁ damaśh cha yajñaśh cha svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam

   The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and yoga, almsgiving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity, and straightforwardness.

   श्रीभगवान् बोले -- भयका सर्वथा अभाव; अन्तःकरणकी शुद्धि; ज्ञानके लिये योगमें दृढ़ स्थिति; सात्त्विक दान; इन्द्रियोंका दमन; यज्ञ; स्वाध्याय; कर्तव्य-पालनके लिये कष्ट सहना; शरीर-मन-वाणीकी सरलता।

4. Verse 4 of 4Bhagavad Gita 18.58 →

   मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि।अथ चेत्त्वमहङ्कारान्न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि॥

   mach-chittaḥ sarva-durgāṇi mat-prasādāt tariṣhyasi atha chet tvam ahankārān na śhroṣhyasi vinaṅkṣhyasi

   Fixing your mind on Me, you shall, by My grace, overcome all obstacles; but if you will not hear Me due to egoism, you shall perish.

   मेरेमें चित्तवाला होकर तू मेरी कृपासे सम्पूर्ण विघ्नोंको तर जायगा और यदि तू अहंकारके कारण मेरी बात नहीं सुनेगा तो तेरा पतन हो जायगा।