By recognizing Me as the ultimate enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all worlds, and the selfless friend of all living beings, My devotee attains peace. Description The ascetic practices described in the previous two verses can lead to ātma jñāna (knowledge of the self). However, brahma jñāna (knowledge of God) …
By shutting out all thoughts of external enjoyment, fixing the gaze on the space between the eyebrows, equalizing the flow of 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 in freedom. Description Renunciants often lean towards aṣhṭāṅg-yog …
For those sanyāsīs who have overcome anger and lust through constant effort, have subdued their mind, and are self-realized, liberation from material existence is achieved both in this life and beyond. Description Karm-yog is a safer path for most people, as explained in verse 5.2, which is why Shree Krishna strongly recommended it to Arjun. …
rephrase text Description In the preceding verse, Shree Krishna described the state of sages who experience divine pleasure within themselves. In this verse, He focuses on the state of sages actively engaged in the welfare of all beings. The Ramayan states: para upakāra bachana mana kāyā, santa sahaja subhāu khagarāyā “The trait of compassion is …
Those who find happiness within themselves, delight in the joy of God within, and are illuminated by the inner light are yogis united with the Lord and liberated from material existence. Description “Inner light” refers to the divine knowledge bestowed from within as realization, granted by the grace of God when we surrender to Him. …
Those who can restrain the forces of desire and anger before giving up their bodies are true yogis, and they alone find happiness. Description The human body presents a golden opportunity for the soul to achieve the supreme goal of God-realization. Unlike animals, who are driven by their nature, humans possess the faculty of discrimination. …
The pleasures that come from contact with sense objects may seem enjoyable to worldly-minded people, but they are truly a source of misery. O son of Kunti, these pleasures have a beginning and an end, so the wise do not take delight in them. Description The senses generate sensations of pleasure when in contact with …
Those whose minds are firmly rooted in an equal vision transcend the cycle of birth and death in this very life. They embody the perfect qualities of God and are thus anchored in the Absolute Truth. Description The Vedic scriptures repeatedly describe God as an ocean of unlimited divine bliss: ānando brahmeti vyajānāt (Taittirīya Upaniṣhad …
Rooted in God, with a deep understanding of divine knowledge and free from delusion, they neither rejoice in receiving something pleasant nor grieve when encountering the unpleasant. Description The part of this verse that speaks of neither rejoicing in pleasure nor lamenting the unpleasant represents the highest ideal of the Vipassanā tradition of meditation in …
Those whose minds are firmly rooted in an equal vision transcend the cycle of birth and death in this very life. They embody the perfect qualities of God and are thus anchored in the Absolute Truth. Description Sri Krishna uses the word sāmye to denote someone who possesses an equal vision toward all living beings, …
