Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5, Verse 26

Chapter 5 – Karma Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम् ।
अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम् ॥

Transliteration

kāmakrodhaviyuktānāṃ yatīnāṃ yatacetasām .
abhito brahmanirvāṇaṃ vartate viditātmanām ॥

Meaning

For the ascetics who are free from desire and anger, whose minds are controlled and who have known the Self, liberation in Brahman is present on all sides.

Word meanings

कामक्रोधवियुक्तानाम् – free from desire and anger
यतीनाम् – of the ascetics, seekers
यतचेतसाम् – of controlled mind
विदितात्मनाम् – who have known the Self
अभितः – on all sides, near
ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् – liberation in Brahman
वर्तते – exists, is present

Anvaya (word order)

कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतचेतसां विदितात्मनां यतीनाम् अभितः ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते ।

Explanation

The point of the previous verse is carried on more clearly. ‘Abhitah’ means all around, near, on every side. The Lord says that for the ascetics who have won freedom from desire and anger, whose minds are controlled, and who have known the Self, Brahma-nirvana is no distant thing but present all around. While alive they abide in it, and when the body falls it is theirs still.

Three epithets again repeat the essence of practice: ‘kama-krodha-viyukta’ (the fruit of the conquest of the enemy in Chapter 3), ‘yata-chetas’ (controlled mind) and ‘viditatma’ (Self-knowing). This makes clear that the key to liberation is not supernatural magic but purity of mind and Self-awareness.

Shankara explains ‘abhitah’ to mean that for such knowers liberation exists both in life and after leaving the body. Ramanuja sees in it an experience of the Lord's nearness. Liberation is not a distant reward arriving later; it is near to the one who has removed the inner obstacles.

As the sun is always present in the sky and only waits for the clouds to clear, nirvana is ever near, and comes into experience as soon as the clouds of desire and anger lift.

Context

Verse 5.25 gave four qualities of the seers. Verse 5.26 describes the nearness of nirvana to ascetics with those qualities. Then 5.27–5.28 give a concise method of meditation.

Life lesson

Do not regard liberation and peace as something in the far future. The more the clouds of desire, anger and doubt lift, the nearer the experience of nirvana becomes.

Key terms

Yati: a disciplined seeker, ascetic
Abhitah: all around, near
Viditatma: one who has known the Self