Karma Sanyasa Yoga: Shlokas 25 to 29
If you have not already done so, I would request you to review the Chapter 4, Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga before studying chapter 5 as that would help set the right context.
You can find the explanation of the previous set of shlokas, 18 to 24 of chapter 5 here. Please go through that to get a better understand and maintain continuity in your learning.
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Verse 5.25 – 5.29
लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषय: क्षीणकल्मषा: |
छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मान: सर्वभूतहिते रता: || 25||
labhante brahma-nirvāṇam ṛiṣhayaḥ kṣhīṇa-kalmaṣhāḥ
chhinna-dvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
लभन्ते (labhante) – attain; ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् (brahma-nirvāṇam) – absorption in Brahman, liberation; ऋषयः (ṛṣayaḥ) – sages; क्षीणकल्मषाः (kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ) – having extinguished impurities; छिन्नद्वैधा (chhinna-dvaidhā) – those who have severed doubt; यतात्मानः (yatātmānaḥ) – who are self-controlled; सर्वभूतहिते (sarva-bhūta-hite) – in the welfare of all beings; रताः (ratāḥ) – engaged, devoted.
Those holy sages, whose impurities and sins have been purged, whose doubts are destroyed, whose minds are disciplined and self-controlled, and who are devoted to the welfare of all beings, attain absorption in Brahman, the supreme reality, achieving liberation and are freed from material existence.
कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम् |
अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम् || 26||
kāma-krodha-viyuktānāṁ yatīnāṁ yata-chetasām
abhito brahma-nirvāṇaṁ vartate viditātmanām
काम-क्रोध-वियुक्तानां (kāma-krodha-viyuktānāṃ) – of those who are free from desire and anger; यतीनां (yatīnāṃ) – of ascetics; यत-चेतसाम् (yata-cetasām) – whose minds are under control; अभितः (abhitaḥ) – around, on every side; ब्रह्म-निर्वाणं (brahma-nirvāṇaṃ) – the state of union with Brahman, liberation; वर्तते (vartate) – exists; विदित-आत्मनाम् (vidita-ātmanām) – for those who know the Self.
For those ascetics, who, through persistent effort, have overcome anger and desire, who have mastered their minds and attained self-realization, liberation from the material realm is realized, emancipating them from the cycle of birth and death in this very life.
स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवो: |
प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ || 27||
यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायण: |
विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो य: सदा मुक्त एव स: || 28||
sparśhān kṛitvā bahir bāhyānśh chakṣhuśh chaivāntare bhruvoḥ
prāṇāpānau samau kṛitvā nāsābhyantara-chāriṇau
yatendriya-mano-buddhir munir mokṣha-parāyaṇaḥ
vigatechchhā-bhaya-krodho yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ
स्पर्शान् (sparśān) – the objects of the senses; कृत्वा (kṛtvā) – having made; बहिः (bahiḥ) – external; बाह्यान् (bāhyān) – external objects; चक्षुः (cakṣuḥ) – eyes; च (ca) – and; एव (eva) – also; अन्तरे (antare) – between; भ्रुवोः (bhruvoḥ) – the eyebrows; प्राण-आपानौ (prāṇa-āpānau) – the upward and downward airs; समौ (samau) – balanced; कृत्वा (kṛtvā) – having made; नासा-अभ्यंतर-चारिणौ (nāsā-abhyantara-cāriṇau) – moving within the nostrils.
यत-इंद्रिय-मनो-बुद्धिः (yata-indriya-mano-buddhiḥ) – whose senses, mind, and intellect are controlled; मुनिः (muniḥ) – the sage; मोक्ष-परायणः (mokṣa-parāyaṇaḥ) – devoted to liberation; विगत-इच्छा (vigata-icchā) – free from desire; अभय (abhaya) – fear; क्रोधः (krodhaḥ) – and anger; यः (yaḥ) – who; सदा (sadā) – always; मुक्तः (muktaḥ) – liberated; एव (eva) – indeed; सः (saḥ) – he.
Shutting out all thoughts of external enjoyment, with the gaze fixed on the space between the eye-brows, equalizing the flow of the incoming and outgoing breath in the nostrils, and thus controlling the senses, mind, and intellect, the sage who becomes free from desire and fear, always lives as a liberated soul.
भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् |
सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति || 29||
bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśhvaram
suhṛidaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śhāntim ṛichchhati
भोक्तारं (bhoktāraṃ) – the enjoyer; यज्ञ-तपसां (yajña-tapasāṃ) – of sacrifices and austerities; सर्व-लोक-महेश्वरम् (sarva-loka-maheśvaram) – the Supreme Lord of all worlds; सुहृदं (suhṛdaṃ) – the benevolent friend; सर्व-भूतानां (sarva-bhūtānāṃ) – of all living entities; ज्ञात्वा (jñātvā) – knowing; मां (māṃ) – Me (God, Krishna); शान्तिम् (śāntim) – peace; ऋच्छति (ṛcchati) – attains.
Having realized Me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all the worlds and the compassionate friend of all living beings, My devotee attains peace.
Reiterating the importance of self purification
The verse 5.25 emphasizes the spiritual enlightenment where ‘sages’ or ‘ṛṣayaḥ’ attain ‘brahmanirvāṇa’ or unity with the Ultimate Reality, Brahman. Shri Krishna speaks about individuals whose impurities and sins, ‘kṣīṇa kalmaṣāḥ,’ are completely eradicated. Only such purified individuals can truly comprehend their inherent nature. Shri Krishna spoke about the need to get rid of impurities back in the beginning of the 2nd chapter:
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् |
अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन || 2||
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
kutastvā kaśhmalamidaṁ viṣhame samupasthitam
anārya-juṣhṭamaswargyam akīrti-karam arjuna
The Supreme Lord said: My dear Arjuna, from where have these impurities come upon your mind at this critical hour? It is not befitting an honorable person. It leads not to the higher abodes, but to disgrace.
When a person, through persistent meditation and control over their senses, manages to cleanse themselves of all the mental impurities and sins, they experience profound joy and realization of their true self. Another profound truth explained by Krishna is that enlightenment is not an escape from the world but a deeper engagement with it, driven by love and compassion and a sense of unity with all beings.
Thus, Shri Krishna reiterates the importance of self-purification for achieving enlightenment. A key characteristic of enlightened individuals is their clear understanding of duality, ‘chinna dvaidhā.’ They have no doubts. They have overcome the perception of separateness and realize the intrinsic unity in Brahman. They practice self-discipline, ‘yatātmānaḥ,’ and their internal peace and clarity radiate outward as benevolence and compassion, ‘sarva bhūta hite ratāḥ,’ promoting happiness and well-being to all beings.
Vision of knowledge gives rise to compassion for everyone
We spoke about the importance of self realization multiple times. How can we know if we are self realized? Krishna says that when we are self realized, our sense of separateness from other beings will disappear. We will feel oneness with everything and everyone and we will have complete control over our mind and senses. Internally we will be full of bliss and of a very steady mind. And outwardly, we will be ‘sarva-bhuta-hite ratah’ (interested in the welfare of all beings).
At the beginning of the 5th chapter, Krishna says that nishkama karma yoga is thus superior to karma sannyasa. Krishna reiterates that fact here. He says the truely self realized person will engage in activities which are for the welfare of all beings. Imagine such an enlightened person is like a doctor. Just as a doctor who helps sick people does not catch their sickness, this wise person does not pick up the bad behaviors of the people he helps. He helps people who may be doing wrong or harmful things but remains good and pure himself.
This text also says that when someone really wants to understand life and themselves better, and works hard to control their desires and anger, they can find true happiness and peace. This person learns to understand themselves and finds joy both in this life and after. Shri Krishna says that meditation, a way of calming and focusing the mind, is a very good way to understand life better. He shows us how to use meditation to find truth and happiness.
How Karma Sannyasis should approach liberation
Up to 5.25, Shree Krishna has strongly recommended the path of nishkama karma-yoga. He then speaks the remaining verses for the karma sanyāsīs, revealing that they too can attain liberation.
In simpler words, helping people and bringing goodness to a bad world is great work.The guru or teacher, who is very wise and good, helps and heals people in pain or in a mode of ignorance, without being affected by the badness around them.
A person who really wants to understand life and themselves, and works hard to be good, can find true happiness in this life and the next. This shloka teaches us about the importance of helping others, staying good in a bad world, and finding true happiness by understanding ourselves. In 2.62, Krishna had called out lust and anger as the top two culprits that cause our downfall.
ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंस: सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते |
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते काम: कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते || 62||
dhyāyato viṣhayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣhūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate
While contemplating on the objects of the senses, one develops attachment to them. Attachment leads to lust, and from lust arises anger.
Lust and anger, the top two enemies
Here again Shri Krishna says in 5.26 that one has to overcome lust and anger and have complete control over our senses in order to become eligible for practicing karma sannyasa. If we are successful in this endeavor, then Krishna says that such a person will definitely get liberation. Such people have understood their true self, the Atman. Every moment, whether they are alone, with people, meditating, or working, they always feel connected to Brahman. They can see this spiritual truth in everyone, so they work for the happiness and well-being of all people.
People who are free from harmful desires and anger and have understood their true self can always feel a connection with the spiritual truth, even without meditating. They work for the happiness and well-being of everyone, not just themselves or a few people. This idea of working for everyone’s well-being is important and is highlighted by Buddha as well, in his teachings.
Verses 5.27 and 5.28 provide an introduction into the topic of meditation. Krishna will go deeper into this topic in the next chapter, Dhyana Yoga. The things around us, like the various objects in the world, don’t disturb us by themselves. It’s only when we interact with them or think about them, that we get disturbed. It’s like, if we stand at a distance from a river, the waves won’t bother us. It’s only when we go into the water that the waves can move us around. So, when we see, hear, taste, smell, or touch things, they can make our minds upset or disturbed, but only if we let them. If we learn to not let our minds react to things around us, we can find peace within.
Desires, fears and anger are all interconnected
In these verses, Shri Krishna also asks us to control our desires, fears, and anger. These three emotions are connected. When we desire something, we fear losing it, and if something comes in the way of getting it, we get angry. Controlling these emotions helps to control our minds and intellect. The person who can control these emotions, along with their senses, mind, and intellect, and who can breathe evenly, can meditate on the Truth without being disturbed by the external world. Such a person is truly free.
Shri Krishna explains further that while meditating, If the eyes are fully closed, we may get overtaken by sleep, and if they are wide open, we may get distracted by the objects and happenings around us. In order to avoid both these defects, we are advised to concentrate our gaze, with eyes half-open, between the eyebrows or the tip of the nose. We are also also advised to control the prāṇa (outgoing breath) and the apāna (incoming breath) and hold both of them inside their nostrils. This yogic process enables us to control our senses, mind, and intellect and become free from desire, fear and anger. We can then attain moksha and become free.
While teaching meditation, we are often asked to stare at a point between our eyebrows to meditate. Apart from being a practical technique, it also symbolizes the need for looking upwards and preparing our minds to focus on higher things. There’s also a connection between how we breathe and how we think. If our minds are upset, our breaths are short and uneven. If we learn to control our breaths, it can help our minds to calm down. This is a physical way to create a mental state that’s good for meditation.
Swami Mukundananda explains that such ascetic practices lead to ātma jñāna (knowledge of the self), not to brahma jñāna (knowledge of God). He says that to attain brahma jnana, such sanyasis will have to eventually get on the path of bhakti. How can we measure something which is immeasurable? How can we see something that is invisible? How can we perceive something which is beyond perception? Bhagavan is immeasurable and beyond our perception. The best we can do is to perceive an infinitesimally small image of this infinite God who lives in our hearts. That is Atma Jnyan. However, if we want to realize God, the only way is through surrender and bhakti. No other science or yoga can help us achieve that.
Unconditional love
Unconditional love does not mean that whatever we do is loved. Unconditional love means that no matter what we do, we are loved.
God’s love is unconditional. He does not put any conditions on offering His love to us. We just need to have the wisdom to seek his love. The last shloka of 5th chapter, 5.29 is also popular and known as the three point peace formula.
Three point peace formula
To attain peace, we should understand the following:
- bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ – Krishna is describing himself as bhokta. Who is a bhokta? He who gets to enjoy. The beneficiary. The enjoyer. Bhokte is to enjoy. Bhokta is the enjoyer. Krishna is saying that “I am the bhokta of all the austerities, sacrifices and penances”. So, to whoever you may be doing yajna, for whatever you may be performing sacrifices, ultimately, the beneficiary is Krishna. We may be performing puja for Ganesha or Indra or other demi gods however, ultimately it all reaches Krishna. We should realize this and not be under the illusion that we are the enjoyer, the bhokta. We should realize we are the servants, not the master. The enjoyment we should aim for is the joy of giving enjoyment to Krishna. It is like the mouth thinking that it is eating for its own enjoyment whereas the bigger enjoyer is the body. And in helping the body enjoy, the mouth also gets nourished.
- Sarva-loka-maheśhvaram – Krishna is declaring that he is the maheshwara of all the lokas. Ishwara means ‘the controller’. Maheshwara means ‘the supreme controller’. Krishna is the supreme controller of all the lokas and all the beings, material and spiritual. People in the material plan do not understand this and they try to be mini ishwaras. This is how we can revisit shloka 2.47 where Krishna says that we should not be attached to the outcomes as we do not control the outcomes. Only Krishna has control over the outcomes. When we do not understand this, we become stressed, agitated, frustrated and we lose our peace of mind.
- suhṛidaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ – su-hridam means ‘the selfless Friend’. Sarva-bhutanam means ‘of all the living entities’. Krishna is our best friend. Our selfless friend. Suhrid is the best kind of friend you can have. A friend who is selfless and truly feels for you. Krishna is saying I am your supreme, eternal well wisher. Elsewhere, Krishna has said that if you take a step towards me, I will also take a step towards you. We just have to reach out to Krishna. He is always there for us.
When it comes to point 3, I can tell you based on my own personal experience, that we will have many heartaches and disappointments if we depend on other humans to play the role of a compassionate, selfless friend. We may be under an illusion that our friend will support us no matter what, our friend will help us regardless of what it takes, etc. However, no human can be a suhridam as much as Krishna can be. Always know that Krishna is the only person you can reach out to for support and help. He will make sure we are helped through someone.
Apart from being the ultimate bhokta and the supreme controller, He is also supremely merciful. That is why Krishna is so dear to us. That is the reason we all love Krishna instead of just fearing Krishna. As someone said, the path to God becomes easier when we get away from the mode of ‘God fearing’ and get into the mode of ‘God loving’.
Just like we discussed verse 4.24 which can be recited before consuming food, verse 5.29 can be recited whenever you want to feel peaceful.
Pragma 8:
Be committed and consistent with yoga. Vanquish your vikaras. You will find God then.
Krishna concludes this chapter by saying jñātvā māṁ śhāntim ṛichchhati. Knowing this (the three points we just discussed), one can be at peace.
Here is the link to the next session, where we start chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita.
Hare Krishna.
kṛṣṇadaasa
Servant of Krishna
Aka +Vinayak Raghuvamshi