April 29 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 5; Verses 5.25-5.26 (Day 120) Karma Yoga

 April 29 – Day 120

Verse 5.25-5.26

लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः ।

छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥ ५-२५॥ 

labhante brahma-nirvāṇam ṛiṣhayaḥ kṣhīṇa-kalmaṣhāḥ
chhinna-dwaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ (25) 

லப⁴ன்தே ப்³ரஹ்மனிர்வாணம்ருஷய: க்ஷீணக¹ல்மஷா: |
சி²ன்னத்³வைதா⁴ யதா¹த்¹மான:ஸர்வபூ⁴த¹ஹிதே¹ ரதா¹: ||25|| 

25. The sages obtain absolute freedom or Moksha—they whose sins have been destroyed, whose dualities (perception of dualities or experience of the pairs of opposites) are torn asunder, who are self-controlled, and intent on the welfare of all beings. 

Commentary: Sins are destroyed by the performance of Agnihotra (a daily obligatory ritual) and other Yajnas (vide notes on verse III. 13) without expectation of their fruits and by other selfless services.  The duties vanish by constant meditation on the non-dual Brahman.  He never hurts others in thought, word or deed, and he is devoted to the welfare of all beings as he feels that all beings are but his own Self.  (Cf. XII. 4) 

कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम् ।

अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम् ॥ ५-२६॥ 

kāma-krodha-viyuktānāṁ yatīnāṁ yata-chetasām
abhito brahma-nirvāṇaṁ vartate viditātmanām (26) 

கா¹மக்¹ரோத⁴வியுக்¹தா¹னாம் யதீ¹னாம் யத¹சே¹த¹ஸாம் |
அபி⁴தோ¹ ப்³ரஹ்மனிர்வாணம் வர்த¹தே¹ விதி³தா¹த்¹மனாம் ||26|| 

26. Absolute freedom (or Brahmic bliss) exists on all sides for those self-controlled ascetics who are free from desire and anger, who have controlled their thoughts and who have realised the Self. 

Commentary: Those who renounce all actions and practice Sravana (hearing of the scriptures), Manana (reflection) and Nididhyasana (meditation), who are established in Brahman or who are steadily devoted to the knowledge of the Self attain liberation or Moksha instantaneously (Kaivalya Moksha).  Karma Yoga leads to Moksha step by step (Krama Mukti).  First comes purification of mind, then knowledge, then renunciation of all actions and eventually Moksha. 

Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda:  

The whole series of verses describing the nature of a wise man should be read together in order to obtain a clear picture of Kṛṣṇa’s idea. Half-knowledge is like jumping half the width of an abyss.

‘Sameness’ is Brahman; and if we get firmly established in perfect equanimity and equilibrium of mind, we shall realise our oneness with the absolute. That sounds simple! But that is only part of the definition.

The wise man is full of dispassion. He does not allow himself to be led away by desire and hatred – the two emotions (e-motion, i.e. externalised movement) that lead the soul away from its centre, Brahman. That seems simple, perhaps, especially to a dry kill-joy ascetic. But this again is only partial description.

Such dispassion must be born of an inner experience of supreme bliss. The wise man is full of it. He is convinced of its reality. You may think: “Perhaps even this is not so difficult after all; people have discovered drugs which will create an inner wonderland.” Oh, no....

This bliss is not hallucination, but an inner light. It is not a fool’s paradise, but the paradise of the sage who sees the self in all and is, therefore, vigorously engaged in the promotion of the welfare of all beings!

Such bliss is the true, perfect, perfection. 

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