Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingव्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन।
बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम्
vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-śhākhā hyanantāśh cha buddhayo ’vyavasāyinām
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaO scion of the Kuru dynasty, in this there is a single, one-pointed conviction. The thoughts of the irresolute ones, however, have many branches indeed and are innumerable.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
हे कुरुनन्दन ! इस (विषय) में निश्चयात्मक बुद्धि एक ही है, अज्ञानी पुरुषों की बुद्धियां (संकल्प) बहुत भेदों वाली और अनन्त होती हैं।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiव्यव सायात् मिका बुद् धिः
एकेह कुरु नन्दन
बहु शाखाह् यनन्ताश् च
बुद् धयोऽ व्य व सायिनाम्
॥ ४१ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthavyavasāya-ātmikāresolute
buddhiḥintellect
ekāsingle
ihaon this path
kuru-nandanadescendent of the Kurus
bahu-śhākhāḥmany-branched
hiindeed
anantāḥendless
chaalso
buddhayaḥintellect
avyavasāyināmof the irresolute
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA2.41What distinguishes the resolute intellect from the irresolute?
O scion of the Kuru dynasty, in this there is a single, one-pointed conviction. The thoughts of the irresolute ones, however, have many branches indeed and are innumerable.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.