Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5, Verse 25

Chapter 5 – Karma Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः ।
छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥

Transliteration

labhante brahmanirvāṇamṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇakalmaṣāḥ .
chinnadvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ ॥

Meaning

The seers whose sins are destroyed, whose doubts are cut asunder, whose minds are controlled and who delight in the welfare of all beings, attain liberation in Brahman.

Word meanings

लभन्ते – attain
ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् – liberation in Brahman
ऋषयः – the seers, the sages
क्षीणकल्मषाः – whose sins are destroyed
छिन्नद्वैधाः – whose doubts are cut asunder
यतात्मानः – of controlled mind
सर्वभूतहिते – in the welfare of all beings
रताः – engaged, delighting

Anvaya (word order)

क्षीणकल्मषाः छिन्नद्वैधाः यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः ऋषयः ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं लभन्ते ।

Explanation

The previous verse gave the inner fullness of the yogi; here four marks of the seers who attain that Brahma-nirvana are stated. First, ‘kshina-kalmashah’ — their faults and sins have worn away, that is, the mind is purified. Second, ‘chhinna-dvaidhah’ — their doubts and dualities are cut. While the mind wavers between two sides, ‘What should I do? What is right?’, nirvana is far off. Third, ‘yatatmanah’ — their mind, intellect and senses are controlled.

The fourth is the loveliest: ‘sarva-bhuta-hite ratah’ — engaged in the welfare of all beings. This is an important hint in the Gita that the fruit of Self-knowledge is not merely private liberation in solitude but also compassion and service to all. One who truly sees one Self in all cannot remain untouched by another's suffering.

According to Shankara, the verse describes the states of the renunciate leading to Brahma-nirvana. Ramanuja sees in it a combined life of action, knowledge and devotion, in which the knower's heart rests in the welfare of the world.

So the road to liberation passes through three things: inner purity, destruction of doubt and outer service. To imagine nirvana by omitting any of them remains incomplete.

Context

Verse 5.24 described the yogi's inner happiness and Brahma-nirvana. Verse 5.25 gives the qualities of the seers who qualify for it, and 5.26 will speak of the nearness of nirvana to ascetics.

Life lesson

One mark of high practice is that the heart opens naturally to the welfare of others. Join your practice with service and compassion, and cut your doubts with the help of knowledge.

Key terms

Kshina-kalmasha: one whose faults and sins have worn away
Chhinna-dvaidha: one whose doubts and dualities are cut
Sarva-bhuta-hita: the welfare of all beings