Chapter 5
Brahma-Nirvān-Yoga
Shlok 5.1
Arjun said
संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि।
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम्॥
sannyāsam karmaṇām krushṇa punaryogam cha shansasi;
yachchhreya etayorekam tanme brūhi sunishchitam.
O Krishna! On one side, you praise the renunciation of karma and on the other, yoga. Of these two, decidedly reveal the one that is beneficial for me.
Shlok 5.2
Shrī Bhagwān said
संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ।
तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते॥
sannyāsah karmayogashcha nihshreyasakarāvubhau;
tayostu karmasannyāsātkarmayogo vishishyate.
Both renunciation and karma-yoga are beneficial. However, among them, karma-yoga is superior to the renunciation of karma.
Shlok 5.3
ज्ञेयः स नित्यसंन्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति।
निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते॥
jneyah sa nityasannyāsīyo na dveshṭi na kānkshati;
nirdvandvo hi mahābāho sukham bandhātpramuchyate.
Arjun! One who does not possess enmity and does not harbor earthly desire, they should always be known as a renunciant, since one who is free of desire, enmity, and other pairs of vices is certainly easily freed from bondage.
Shlok 5.4
साङ्ख्ययोगौ पृथग् बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः।
एकमप्यास्थितः सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम्॥
sānkhyayogau pruthag bālāh pravadanti na paṇḍitāhā;
ekamapyāsthitah samyagubhayorvindate falam.
The naïve proclaim sānkhya and yoga as distinct. The learned do not, since one who entirely imbibes even one attains the fruits of both.
Shlok 5.5
यत्साङ्ख्यैः प्राप्यते स्थानं तद्योगैरपि गम्यते।
एकं साङ्ख्यं च योगं च यः पश्यति स पश्यति॥
yatsānkhyaih prāpyate sthānam tadyogairapi gamyate;
ekam sānkhyam cha yogam cha yah pashyati sa pashyati.
The location attained by sānkhya is also attained by yoga. One who views sānkhya and yoga as one, only they truly see.
Shlok 5.6
संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः।
योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म नचिरेणाऽधिगच्छति॥
sannyāsastu mahābāho duhkhamāptumayogataha;
yogayukto munirbrahma nachireṇā’dhigachchhati.
O Arjun! To attain renunciation without yoga is impossible. With yoga an ascetic immediately attains Brahman.
Shlok 5.7
योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रियः।
सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते॥
yogayukto vishuddhātmā vijitātmā jitendriyaha;
sarvabhūtātmabhūtātmā kurvannapi na lipyate.
One who has conquered the senses, controls the mind, has a pure ātmā, possesses yoga, and is brahmarūp,[37] they remain untainted despite performing karma.
Shlok 5.8-9
नैव किञ्चित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित्।
पश्यन्शृण्वन्स्पृशन्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपञ्श्वसन्॥
naiva kinchitkaromīti yukto manyeta tattvavit;
pashyanshruṇvansprushanjighrann-ashnangachchhanswapanshwasan.
प्रलपन् विसृजन् गृह्न्नुन्मिषन् निमिषन्नपि।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन्॥
pralapan visrujan gruhṇannunmishan nimishannapi;
indriyāṇīndriyārtheshu vartanta iti dhārayan.
The knower of truth—the yogī—despite seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, walking, sleeping, breathing, speaking, renouncing, accepting, and opening and closing their eyes, realizes that the senses are engaged in their objects and believes, “I am not doing anything.”
Shlok 5.10
ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः।
लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाऽम्भसा॥
brahmaṇyādhāya karmāṇi sangam tyaktvākaroti yaha;
lipyate na sa pāpena padmapatramivā’mbhasā.
One who performs karma upon offering them to Aksharbrahma and forgoing attachment—they, like a lotus petal in water, remain untainted by wrongdoing.
Shlok 5.11
कायेन मनसा बुद्ध्या केवलैरिन्द्रियैरपि।
योगिनः कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वाऽऽत्मशुद्धये॥
kāyena manasā buddhyā kevalairindriyairapi;
yoginah karma kurvanti sangam tyaktvā’’tmashuddhaye.
Having renounced attachment, yogīs perform karma with the body, mind, intellect, and even the senses only to purify the ātmā.
Shlok 5.12
युक्तः कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिमाप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम्।
अयुक्तः कामकारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते॥
yuktah karmafalam tyaktvā shāntimāpnoti naishṭhikīm;
ayuktah kāmakāreṇa fale sakto nibadhyate.
A yogī, having forgone the fruits of karma, attains unwavering peace, whereas one without yoga is bound and attached to the fruits of karma because of desire.
Shlok 5.13
सर्वकर्माणि मनसा संन्यस्याऽऽस्ते सुखं वशी।
नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन्न कारयन्॥
sarvakarmāṇi manasā sannyasyā’’ste sukham vashī;
navadvāre pure dehī naiva kurvanna kārayan.
Having forgone all karma from the mind, the ātmā who controls the inner faculties lives peacefully in the nine-doored, city-like body, neither acting nor causing others to act.
Shlok 5.14
न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः।
न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते॥
na kartrutvam na karmāṇi lokasya srujati prabhuhu;
na karmafalasanyogam swabhāvastu pravartate.
Parameshwar does not arbitrarily create agency in the world—the conviction that “I am the doer”—karma, or the relationship between karma and its fruits; however, nature takes action. (Parameshwar creates according to each person’s past karma.)
Shlok 5.15
नाऽऽदत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः।
अज्ञानेनाऽऽवृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः॥
nā’’datte kasyachitpāpam na chaiva sukrutam vibhuhu;
ajnānenā’’vrutam jnānam tena muhyanti jantavaha.
The ātmā does not take on anyone’s wrongdoing or even their auspicious karma. Since knowledge is enveloped by ignorance, beings are deluded.
Shlok 5.16
ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः।
तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम्॥
jnānena tu tadajnānam yeshām nāshitamātmanaha;
teshāmādityavajjnānam prakāshayati tatparam.
However, one whose ātmā’s ignorance is destroyed by knowledge, that knowledge of theirs, like the sun, reveals the supreme being.
Shlok 5.17
तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः।
गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः॥
tadbuddhayastadātmānas-tannishṭhāstatparāyaṇāhā;
gachchhantyapunarāvruttim jnānanirdhūtakalmashāhā.
Those whose intellect possesses conviction in Paramātmā, who realize only him as their ātmā, have unwavering conviction in him, are engrossed in him, and who are absolved of wrongdoing through knowledge, they attain liberation—the place from which there is no return.
Shlok 5.18
विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि।
शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः॥
vidyāvinayasampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini;
shuni chaiva shwapāke cha paṇḍitāh samadarshinaha.
The wise view a brāhman who is endowed with learning and modesty, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and an outcast equally.
Shlok 5.19
इहैव तैर्जितः सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मनः।
निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्माद् ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिताः॥
ihaiva tairjitah sargo yeshām sāmye sthitam manaha;
nirdosham hi samam brahma tasmād brahmaṇi te sthitāhā.
Those whose mind is poised in equality, they have conquered the world even here since they are established in Aksharbrahma, who is faultless and equally present within all.
Shlok 5.20
न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाऽप्रियम्।
स्थिरबुद्धिरसंमूढो ब्रह्मविद् ब्रह्मणि स्थितः॥
na prahrushyetpriyam prāpya nodvijetprāpya chā’priyam;
sthirabuddhirasammūḍho brahmavid brahmaṇi sthitaha.
One who is established in and realizes Aksharbrahma, possesses an unwavering intellect, and is un-deluded neither rejoices upon obtaining the pleasant nor is troubled by the unpleasant.
Shlok 5.21
बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम्।
स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षय्यमश्नुते॥
Bāhyasparsheshwasaktātmā vindatyātmani yatsukham;
sa brahmayogayuktātmā sukhamakshayyamashnute.
One who is unattached to worldly pleasures experiences the bliss of Paramātmā. Joined with Aksharbrahma, they enjoy undiminishing bliss.
Shlok 5.22
ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दुःखयोनय एव ते।
आद्यन्तवन्तः कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुधः॥
ye hi sansparshajā bhogā duhkhayonaya eva te;
ādyantavantah kaunteya na teshu ramate budhaha.
Those very enjoyments that originate from the association of worldly objects, they are the cause of only misery and are temporal and fleeting. Arjun! The wise do not rejoice in them.
Shlok 5.23
शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात्।
कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः॥
shaknotīhaiva yah soḍhum prāksharīravimokshaṇāt;
kāmakrodhodbhavam vegam sa yuktah sa sukhīnaraha.
One who is capable of overcoming impulses born from lust and anger in this life—before the body perishes—they are yogīs; they are happy.
Shlok 5.24
योऽन्तःसुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथाऽन्तर्ज्योतिरेव यः।
स योगी ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं ब्रह्मभूतोऽधिगच्छति॥
yo’ntahsukho’ntarārāmastathā’ntarjyotireva yaha;
sa yogī brahmanirvāṇam brahmabhūto’dhigachchhati.
One who experiences the happiness of the Paramātmā within, finds respite in the Paramātmā within, and possesses the brilliance of attaining Paramātmā-realization—that brahmarūp yogī attains Akshardhām.
Shlok 5.25
लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः।
छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः॥
labhante brahmanirvāṇamrushayah kshīṇakalmashāhā;
chhinnadvaidhā yatātmānah sarvabhūtahite ratāhā.
Those who are purged of doubts, established in Paramātmā, and engaged in the betterment of all beings—such rishis, upon becoming free of wrongdoing, attain Akshardhām.
Shlok 5.26
कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम्।
अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम्॥
kāmakrodhaviyuktānām yatīnām yatachetasām;
abhito brahmanirvāṇam vartate viditātmanām.
For those who are free from lust and anger, who have conquered the mind, controlled the senses, and realized Paramātmā, Akshardhām is on all sides—they always experience the state of liberation.
Shlok 5.27-28
स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवाऽन्तरे भ्रुवोः।
प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ॥
Sparshānkrutvā bahirbāhyānshchakshushchaivā’ntare bhruvoho;
prāṇāpānau samau krutvā nāsābhyantarachāriṇau.
यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायणः।
विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो यः सदा मुक्त एव सः॥
yatendriyamanobuddhirmunirmokshaparāyaṇaha;
vigatechchhābhayakrodho yah sadā mukta eva saha.
Upon (1) keeping worldly objects at a distance, (2) focusing one’s gaze between the eyebrows, (3) balancing the prān and apān, which traverse the body, through the nose; one who (1) controls the senses, mind, and intellect, (2) is intent on liberation, and (3) is without desire, fear, and anger is wise (a muni). They are indeed always liberated.
Shlok 5.29
भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम्।
सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति॥
bhoktāram yajnatapasām sarvalokamaheshwaram;
suhrudam sarvabhūtānām jnātvā mām shāntimruchchhati.
One attains peace upon realizing me as the receiver of sacrifice and austerity, the controller of all worlds, and the friend of all beings.
॥इति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे
श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे ब्रह्मनिर्वाणयोगो नाम पञ्चमोऽध्यायः॥
iti shrīmadbhagavadgītāsūpanishatsu brahmavidyāyām yogashāstre shrīkrushṇārjunasamvāde
brahmanirvāṇayogo nāma panchamo’dhyāyaha
In this way, within the Upanishad-like Shrīmad-Bhagavad-Gītā, which is brahmavidyā and a sacred text on yoga, and in the dialogue between Shrī Krishna and Arjun, this concludes the fifth chapter titled “Brahma-nirvān-yoga.”