In plain words
One who can withstand here, before the body is released, the force born of desire and anger—that person is a yogin and is happy.
Word for word
Who is able, here itself, before release from the body, to withstand the surge arising from desire and anger, he is a yogin, he is a happy man.
शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक् शरीरविमोक्षणात्कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः
Other commentaries
The commentators
▸Bhagavadgītābhāṣyam
अयं च श्रेयोमार्गप्रतिपक्षी कष्टतमो दोषः सर्वानर्थप्राप्तिहेतुः दुर्निवारश्च इति तत्परिहारे यत्नाधिक्यं कर्तव्यम् इत्याह भगवान् —
शक्नोति उत्सहते इहैव जीवन्नेव यः सोढुं प्रसहितुं प्राक् पूर्वं शरीरविमोक्षणात् आ मरणात् इत्यर्थः । मरणसीमाकरणं जीवतोऽवश्यम्भावि हि कामक्रोधोद्भवो वेगः, अनन्तनिमित्तवान् हि सः इति यावत् मरणं तावत् न विस्रम्भणीय इत्यर्थः । कामः इन्द्रियगोचरप्राप्ते इष्टे विषये श्रूयमाणे स्मर्यमाणे वा अनुभूते सुखहेतौ या गर्धिः तृष्णा स कामः ; क्रोधश्च आत्मनः प्रतिकूलेषु दुःखहेतुषु दृश्यमानेषु श्रूयमाणेषु स्मर्यमाणेषु वा यो द्वेषः सः क्रोधः ; तौ कामक्रोधौ उद्भवो यस्य वेगस्य सः कामक्रोधोद्भवः वेगः । रोमाञ्चनप्रहृष्टनेत्रवदनादिलिङ्गः अन्तःकरणप्रक्षोभरूपः कामोद्भवो वेगः, गात्रप्रकम्पप्रस्वेदसन्दष्टोष्ठपुटरक्तनेत्रादिलिङ्गः क्रोधोद्भवो वेगः, तं कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं यः उत्सहते प्रसहते सोढुं प्रसहितुम् , सः युक्तः योगी सुखी च इह लोके नरः ॥ २३ ॥
In plain words
And this flaw stands directly across the path to the highest good. It is the most punishing of them all, the cause from which every misfortune comes, and hard to fend off. So an extra measure of effort must go into being rid of it. That is what the Lord says now —
'Is able' means manages; 'here, in this very life' means while still alive; 'who is able to withstand' means who can bear — 'before the release of the body' means before death comes. That's the meaning. Death is set as the outer limit because, for as long as you're alive, this surge born of desire and anger keeps coming — it has endless triggers — so until death actually arrives, you can never let your guard down. That's the meaning. 'Desire' is this: when something desirable comes within reach of the senses — heard about, remembered, or actually experienced as a source of pleasure — the craving that rises up for it, the thirst, that's desire. 'Anger' is this: toward whatever's against you, whatever causes pain — seen, heard, or remembered — the aversion that rises up, that's anger. And the surge that erupts out of desire and anger together — that's the 'surge born of desire and anger.' The one born of desire shows itself as hair standing on end, brightened eyes and face, and the like — really just the inner faculty getting stirred up. The one born of anger shows itself as trembling limbs, sweat, a bitten lip, reddened eyes, and the like. Whoever can hold steady against that surge, bear it without breaking — that person is integrated, a true yogi, and happy — right here in this world.
Close to the Sanskrit
And this defect — opposed to the path of the highest good, most painful, the cause of the arrival of every misfortune, and hard to ward off — thus being so, in its removal a greater measure of effort should be made: this the Lord says —
'Is able,' manages, 'here indeed,' while still living, 'who' [is able] 'to withstand,' [i.e.] to bear — 'before,' [i.e.] prior to, 'the release of the body,' up to death. That is the meaning. Setting death as the limit [for the endurance] is [required] because, for one who is living, the surge arising from desire and anger is inevitable, for it has endless causes; therefore, as long as death [has not come], so long one should not let his guard down. That is the meaning. 'Desire': when a desired object has come within the range of the senses, being heard, or remembered, or experienced as a cause of happiness — the craving, [i.e.] thirst, [for it] — that is desire. And 'anger': among things adverse to oneself, causes of suffering, being seen, heard, or remembered — the aversion [toward them] — that is anger. Those two, desire and anger, from which the surge arises — of that impulse, that is the 'surge arising from desire and anger.' Marked by horripilation, delighted eyes and face, and the like, taking the form of an agitation of the inner faculty — this is the surge arising from desire; marked by trembling limbs, sweating, bitten lips, reddened eyes, and the like — this is the surge arising from anger. Whoever manages, [i.e.] endures, to withstand, [i.e.] bear, that surge arising from desire and anger — 'he is integrated,' [i.e.] a yogin, and 'happy,' 'is such a person in this world.'