Prayer and chanting are powerful ways to internalize the Bhagavad Gita's teachings on Letting Go & Moving On. When you recite these verses with devotion and understanding, they work on multiple levels — calming the mind, opening the heart, and connecting you to the timeless wisdom of the Gita. This guide provides carefully selected verses in Sanskrit with transliteration and meaning, along with practical guidance for incorporating them into your daily devotional practice.
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः। आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत।।2.14।।
mātrā-sparśhās tu kaunteya śhītoṣhṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ āgamāpāyino ’nityās tans-titikṣhasva bhārata
Meaning: The contact of the senses with the objects, O son of Kunti, which causes heat and cold, pleasure and pain, has a beginning and an end; they are impermanent; endure them bravely, O Arjuna.
When to recite: During morning prayers or upon waking
Repetitions: 3 times
वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि। तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही।।2.22।।
vāsānsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛihṇāti naro ’parāṇi tathā śharīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇānya nyāni sanyāti navāni dehī
Meaning: Just as a man casts off worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, so too the embodied Self casts off worn-out bodies and enters others that are new.
When to recite: Before beginning work or study
Repetitions: 3 times
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन। मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि।।2.47।।
karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣhu kadāchana mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇi
Meaning: Your right is only to work, but not to its results; do not let the results of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.
When to recite: When feeling stressed, anxious, or uncertain
Repetitions: 1 or 3 times
ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते। सङ्गात् संजायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते।।2.62।।
dhyāyato viṣhayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣhūpajāyate saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate
Meaning: When one thinks of objects, attachment to them arises; from attachment, desire is born; from desire, anger arises.
When to recite: During evening meditation or before sleep
Repetitions: 1 or 3 times
क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः। स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति।।2.63।।
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛiti-vibhramaḥ smṛiti-bhranśhād buddhi-nāśho buddhi-nāśhāt praṇaśhyati
Meaning: Anger leads to delusion, which causes loss of memory; this, in turn, leads to the destruction of discrimination, resulting in destruction.
When to recite: At the start of a new endeavor or important decision
Repetitions: 1 or 3 times
Chanting Guide
Begin by reading the transliteration slowly to familiarize yourself with the sounds. Then listen to the pronunciation on the Srimad Gita App. Start by chanting each verse 3 times, gradually increasing to 11 or 21 repetitions as you become comfortable. Maintain a steady, calm rhythm. The traditional practice is to face east during morning chanting and north during evening chanting. Use a mala (prayer beads) for longer chanting sessions.
Daily Prayer Schedule
Morning (6-7 AM): Chant verses 1-2 as part of your morning invocation. These verses set the spiritual tone for the day and connect you to Letting Go & Moving On. Midday (12 PM): Silently recite verse 3 as a centering practice. Evening (6-7 PM): Chant verses 4-5 during your evening meditation. Conclude with a moment of silence, offering the merit of your practice to all beings.
Benefits of Regular Chanting Practice
The tradition of chanting Bhagavad Gita verses has been practiced for thousands of years, and its benefits are recognized by both spiritual traditions and modern research. Regular chanting calms the nervous system, improves concentration, and creates a sense of inner stability that carries through daily life. The rhythmic repetition of Sanskrit verses engages both the analytical and intuitive faculties of the mind, promoting a state of focused awareness that is different from ordinary concentration.
In the devotional tradition, chanting is considered a direct form of connection with the Divine. The Gita itself speaks of the power of sacred sound and its ability to purify the mind and heart. Whether you approach chanting as a spiritual practice, a meditation technique, or simply a centering exercise, consistent practice yields measurable benefits in stress reduction, emotional regulation, and mental clarity.
Start with just five minutes of daily chanting and gradually increase as the practice becomes natural. Many practitioners find that chanting first thing in the morning sets a positive tone for the entire day. Use the Srimad Gita App's audio feature to learn correct pronunciation before beginning your independent practice.
Why Letting Go & Moving On Matters in the Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita's teaching on Letting Go & Moving On is among its most practical and widely applicable wisdom. Set against the backdrop of Arjuna's crisis on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, this teaching addresses the universal human struggle with holding onto past and regret and guilt. Krishna does not offer mere philosophy — he provides a framework for action that has guided seekers for over five thousand years.
In the modern world, the relevance of letting go & moving on has only grown. Whether you are dealing with holding onto past, seeking clarity about regret and guilt, or working to develop releasing past, the Gita's teaching provides tested, reliable guidance. The verses in chapters 2, 5, 12, 18 lay out a progressive path from understanding to practice to mastery.
What makes the Gita's approach distinctive is its emphasis on integration. Rather than requiring withdrawal from the world, Krishna teaches Arjuna — a warrior, a family man, a person with real-world responsibilities — how to practice letting go & moving on right in the middle of daily life. This makes the teaching accessible to students, professionals, parents, and seekers of all backgrounds.
Key Concepts in Letting Go & Moving On
The Gita's teaching on Letting Go & Moving On encompasses several interconnected concepts that work together to form a complete path of practice:
- Releasing past: This aspect of letting go & moving on teaches us how to approach holding onto past with wisdom and equanimity. Understanding releasing past is essential for putting the Gita's broader teaching into practice.
- Forgiving self: This aspect of letting go & moving on teaches us how to approach regret and guilt with wisdom and equanimity. Understanding forgiving self is essential for putting the Gita's broader teaching into practice.
- Embracing change: This aspect of letting go & moving on teaches us how to approach fear of change with wisdom and equanimity. Understanding embracing change is essential for putting the Gita's broader teaching into practice.
- Impermanence: This aspect of letting go & moving on teaches us how to approach inability to forgive with wisdom and equanimity. Understanding impermanence is essential for putting the Gita's broader teaching into practice.
- New beginnings: This aspect of letting go & moving on teaches us how to approach nostalgia addiction with wisdom and equanimity. Understanding new beginnings is essential for putting the Gita's broader teaching into practice.
Each of these concepts builds on the others. As you study and practice them, you will notice how understanding one naturally deepens your grasp of the rest. The Srimad Gita App provides detailed commentary on each of these themes, allowing you to explore them at your own pace.
How to Begin Practicing Letting Go & Moving On
Starting a practice of letting go & moving on does not require any special background or preparation. The Gita teaches that every person, regardless of their current situation, can begin right where they are. Here is a simple approach to getting started:
Step 1: Read the key verses. Begin with BG 2.14 and BG 2.22. Read them slowly and reflectively, using the Srimad Gita App for multiple translations and audio pronunciation of the Sanskrit.
Step 2: Choose one principle to practice. Rather than trying to implement everything at once, select one aspect of letting go & moving on — such as releasing past — and focus on it for a full week.
Step 3: Observe and reflect. Throughout your day, notice moments where the teaching is relevant. In the evening, spend a few minutes journaling about what you observed. This reflective practice accelerates understanding.
Step 4: Deepen gradually. After your first week, add another dimension of the teaching. Over time, your practice of letting go & moving on will become more natural and integrated into your daily life.
The Bhagavad Gita's Context for Letting Go & Moving On
The Bhagavad Gita, often called simply "the Gita," is a 700-verse scripture that forms part of the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. Set on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, it records the dialogue between Prince Arjuna and his charioteer Lord Krishna, who reveals himself to be the Supreme Divine. The teaching on letting go & moving on emerges directly from Arjuna's real-life crisis — facing a battle where his own relatives and teachers stand on the opposing side.
This setting is significant because it means the Gita's wisdom on letting go & moving on was not given in a monastery or ashram, but in the most intense, high-stakes situation imaginable. Krishna's teaching is designed for people engaged in the world, not withdrawn from it. When he speaks about releasing past, he is addressing someone who must act immediately and decisively.
The classical commentators who have shaped our understanding of the Gita's teaching on letting go & moving on include Adi Shankaracharya (8th century), who founded the Advaita Vedanta school and emphasized non-dual knowledge; Ramanujacharya (11th century), who established Vishishtadvaita and highlighted qualified non-dualism with devotion; and Madhvacharya (13th century), who taught Dvaita or dualistic devotion. Each of these masters brought a unique lens to the same verses, and studying their perspectives enriches understanding immensely. The Srimad Gita App includes commentary references from these traditions.
Related Bhagavad Gita Teachings
Letting Go & Moving On connects deeply with several other important Gita themes. Exploring these related teachings will enrich your understanding and provide multiple perspectives on the spiritual path:
- Vairagya — Freedom from attachment to outcomes, possessions, and worldly desires
- Grief & Loss — Finding comfort and perspective on death, loss, and impermanence through the Gita
- Shanti — Achieving mental calm, emotional balance, and lasting inner peace
The Bhagavad Gita's genius is in showing how all these teachings converge toward the same goal of self-realization, inner peace, and liberation. By studying letting go & moving on alongside these related themes, you develop a comprehensive understanding that supports genuine spiritual growth.