अर्जुन उवाच
संन्यासं कर्मणां कृष्ण पुनर्योगं च शंससि।
यच्छ्रेय एतयोरेकं तन्मे ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम्।।5.1।।

arjuna uvācha
sannyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛiṣhṇa punar yogaṁ cha śhansasi
yach chhreya etayor ekaṁ tan me brūhi su-niśhchitam

Word-for-Word Translation

arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; sanyāsam—renunciation; karmaṇām—of actions; kṛiṣhṇa—Shree Krishna; punaḥ—again; yogam—about karm yog; cha—also; śhansasi—you praise; yat—which; śhreyaḥ—more beneficial; etayoḥ—of the two; ekam—one; tat—that; me—unto me; brūhi—please tell; su-niśhchitam—conclusively

Meaning

Arjuna said, "O Krishna, you praise renunciation of actions and also yoga. Please tell me conclusively which is better of the two."

Explanation

Arjuna is puzzled because Krishna has praised both the path of renunciation and the path of action, and he wants one clear answer rather than two options. This is a very human moment — when a teacher offers more than one valid approach, the student often just wants to be told which one to actually walk. Krishna will show in the verses ahead that the confusion dissolves once we understand what real renunciation means.

श्री भगवानुवाच
संन्यासः कर्मयोगश्च निःश्रेयसकरावुभौ।
तयोस्तु कर्मसंन्यासात्कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते।।5.2।।

śhrī bhagavān uvācha
sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaśh cha niḥśhreyasa-karāvubhau
tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt karma-yogo viśhiṣhyate

Word-for-Word Translation

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Lord said; sanyāsaḥ—renunciation; karma-yogaḥ—working in devotion; cha—and; niḥśhreyasa-karau—lead to the supreme goal; ubhau—both; tayoḥ—of the two; tu—but; karma-sanyāsāt—renunciation of actions; karma-yogaḥ—working in devotion; viśhiṣhyate—is superior

Meaning

The Blessed Lord said, "Renunciation and the Yoga of action both lead to the highest bliss; but of the two, the Yoga of action is superior to the renunciation of action."

Explanation

Krishna answers directly: both paths lead to the same supreme goal, but karma yoga — acting in devotion, in Krishna consciousness — is superior to renunciation attempted apart from it. Mere physical withdrawal from work (sannyasa without devotional understanding) is troublesome and incomplete, because the mind can still hanker after sense gratification even while the body sits idle; the false renouncer who has merely stopped outward activity but not inner desire gains nothing. The karma yogi, by contrast, works with body and mind for Krishna, and this engagement in devotional service is what actually purifies the heart and leads quickly to perfection — one does not need to abandon one's duties, only to perform them for Krishna rather than for personal enjoyment.

ज्ञेयः स नित्यसंन्यासी यो न द्वेष्टि न काङ्क्षति।
निर्द्वन्द्वो हि महाबाहो सुखं बन्धात्प्रमुच्यते।।5.3।।

jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī yo na dveṣhṭi na kāṅkṣhati
nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho sukhaṁ bandhāt pramuchyate

Word-for-Word Translation

jñeyaḥ—should be considered; saḥ—that person; nitya—always; sanyāsī—practising renunciation; yaḥ—who; na—never; dveṣhṭi—hate; na—nor; kāṅkṣhati—desire; nirdvandvaḥ—free from all dualities; hi—certainly; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; sukham—easily; bandhāt—from bondage; pramuchyate—is liberated

Meaning

He should be known as a perpetual Sannyasi who neither hates nor desires; for, free from the pairs of opposites, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he is easily freed from bondage.

Explanation

True renunciation, Krishna says, is not about giving up work but about giving up hatred and craving — living free from the tug of likes and dislikes. Someone who has stopped reacting to the pairs of opposites, praise and blame, gain and loss, is already inwardly free, regardless of how much they are doing outwardly. This shifts the definition of a renunciant from external appearance to internal steadiness, a point devotees especially cherish since it means sadhana can be practiced anywhere, not only in seclusion.

सांख्ययोगौ पृथग्बालाः प्रवदन्ति न पण्डिताः।
एकमप्यास्थितः सम्यगुभयोर्विन्दते फलम्।।5.4।।

sānkhya-yogau pṛithag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ
ekamapyāsthitaḥ samyag ubhayor vindate phalam

Word-for-Word Translation

sānkhya—renunciation of actions; yogau—karm yog; pṛithak—different; bālāḥ—the ignorant; pravadanti—say; na—never; paṇḍitāḥ—the learned; ekam—in one; api—even; āsthitaḥ—being situated; samyak—completely; ubhayoḥ—of both; vindate—achieve; phalam—the result

Meaning

Children, not the wise, speak of knowledge and the Yoga of action, or the performance of action, as though they are distinct and different; he who is truly established in one, obtains the fruits of both.

Explanation

Krishna gently corrects a common misunderstanding: only the immature (bālāḥ) see the path of analytical knowledge (sankhya) and the path of devotional action (karma yoga) as separate or opposed to each other. The learned know that both, if followed sincerely to their conclusion, arrive at the very same goal — self-realization and knowledge of the Supreme — because true sankhya philosophy itself culminates in surrender to Krishna, not in dry speculation. It is a reminder not to get attached to the outer form of one's practice while missing that both paths are ultimately meant to awaken devotion to the same Lord.

यत्सांख्यैः प्राप्यते स्थानं तद्योगैरपि गम्यते।
एकं सांख्यं च योगं च यः पश्यति स पश्यति।।5.5।।

yat sānkhyaiḥ prāpyate sthānaṁ tad yogair api gamyate
ekaṁ sānkhyaṁ cha yogaṁ cha yaḥ paśhyati sa paśhyati

Word-for-Word Translation

yat—what; sānkhyaiḥ—by means of karm sanyās; prāpyate—is attained; sthānam—place; tat—that; yogaiḥ—by working in devotion; api—also; gamyate—is attained; ekam—one; sānkhyam—renunciation of actions; cha—and; yogam—karm yog; cha—and; yaḥ—who; paśhyati—sees; saḥ—that person; paśhyati—actually sees

Meaning

That place which is reached by the Sankhyas or the Jnanis is also reached by the Yogis (Karma Yogis). He who sees knowledge and the performance of action (Karma Yoga) as one, sees truly.

Explanation

Building on the previous verse, Krishna states plainly that the destination reached through knowledge and the destination reached through selfless action are one and the same place. Real vision, he says, is seeing this unity rather than getting caught up in comparing methods. For a practitioner this is freeing — whether one's temperament leans toward study and contemplation or toward service and action, both are legitimate doorways to the same Krishna.

संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः।
योगयुक्तो मुनिर्ब्रह्म नचिरेणाधिगच्छति।।5.6।।

sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ
yoga-yukto munir brahma na chireṇādhigachchhati

Word-for-Word Translation

sanyāsaḥ—renunciation; tu—but; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; duḥkham—distress; āptum—attains; ayogataḥ—without karm yog; yoga-yuktaḥ—one who is adept in karm yog; muniḥ—a sage; brahma—Brahman; na chireṇa—quickly; adhigachchhati—goes

Meaning

But, O mighty-armed Arjuna, renunciation is hard to attain without Yoga; the sage who is in harmony with Yoga quickly goes to Brahman.

Explanation

Here Krishna clarifies why he called karma yoga superior in verse 2: renunciation attempted without the discipline of selfless action tends to bring frustration rather than freedom, because the mind hasn't actually been purified. The sage who first learns to act without selfish attachment reaches the Supreme quickly, because such action itself cleanses the heart. It is a caution against jumping to withdrawal before doing the inner work that makes withdrawal meaningful.

योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रियः।
सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते।।5.7।।

yoga-yukto viśhuddhātmā vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ
sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā kurvann api na lipyate

Word-for-Word Translation

yoga-yuktaḥ—united in consciousness with God; viśhuddha-ātmā—one with purified intellect; vijita-ātmā—one who has conquered the mind; jita-indriyaḥ—having conquered the senses; sarva-bhūta-ātma-bhūta-ātmā—one who sees the Soul of all souls in every living being; kurvan—performing; api—although; na—never; lipyate—entangled

Meaning

He who is devoted to the path of action, whose mind is pure, who has conquered the self, who has subdued his senses, and who realizes his Self as the Self in all beings, though acting, is not tainted.

Explanation

Krishna now describes the person truly established in Krishna consciousness — one whose mind is purified, whose senses are mastered, and who perceives the Supersoul present in every being and thus feels for all beings without discrimination. Such a person can remain fully engaged in action and yet remain untouched by it, because the work is no longer done for personal sense gratification but as devotional service to Krishna. This is why a Krishna conscious person, though always active, is never actually entangled in karma the way an ordinary worker is.

नैव किंचित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित्।
पश्यन् श्रृणवन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपन् श्वसन्।।5.8।।

naiva kiñchit karomīti yukto manyeta tattva-vit
paśhyañ śhṛiṇvan spṛiśhañjighrann aśhnan gachchhan svapañ śhvasan

Word-for-Word Translation

na—not; eva—certainly; kiñchit—anything; karomi—I do; iti—thus; yuktaḥ—steadfast in karm yog; manyeta—thinks; tattva-vit—one who knows the truth; paśhyan—seeing; śhṛiṇvan—hearing; spṛiśhan—touching; jighran—smelling; aśhnan—eating; gachchhan—moving; svapan—sleeping; śhvasan—breathing; pralapan—talking; visṛijan—giving up; gṛihṇan—accepting; unmiṣhan—opening (the eyes); nimiṣhan—closing (the eyes); api—although; indriyāṇi—the senses; indriya-artheṣhu—in sense-objects; vartante—moving; iti—thus; dhārayan—convinced

Meaning

I do nothing at all," thus would the harmonized knower of Truth think, seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, and breathing.

Explanation

The truly wise person, even while seeing, hearing, touching, and moving through ordinary life, understands at a deep level that they are not the ultimate doer of these acts. This isn't a denial of activity but a recognition that the eternal self simply witnesses while the body and senses carry out their functions. Cultivating this quiet awareness during ordinary tasks is itself a form of practice, gently loosening the false sense of 'I am the one making everything happen.'

प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्णन्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन्।।5.9।।

pralapan visṛijan gṛihṇann unmiṣhann api nimiṣhan
indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣhu vartanta iti dhārayan

Word-for-Word Translation

pralapan—by talking; visṛjan—by giving up; gṛhṇan—by accepting; unmiṣan—opening; nimiṣan—closing; api—in spite of; indriyāṇi—the senses; indriya-artheṣu—in sense gratification; vartante—let them be so engaged; iti—thus; dhārayan—considering.

Meaning

Speaking, letting go, seizing, opening, and closing the eyes, one should be convinced that the senses move among the sense-objects.

Explanation

The list continues: speaking, releasing, grasping, opening and closing the eyes, ordinary bodily functions that keep occurring regardless of how absorbed one's inner life has become. Krishna wants Arjuna to see that the senses naturally interact with their objects, and that motion alone doesn't implicate the true self in bondage. Recognizing this distinction between the acting body and the observing self is one of the quiet disciplines that makes daily activity feel lighter rather than burdensome.

ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः।
लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा।।5.10।।

brahmaṇyādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ
lipyate na sa pāpena padma-patram ivāmbhasā

Word-for-Word Translation

brahmaṇi—to God; ādhāya—dedicating; karmāṇi—all actions; saṅgam—attachment; tyaktvā—abandoning; karoti—performs; yaḥ—who; lipyate—is affected; na—never; saḥ—that person; pāpena—by sin; padma-patram—a lotus leaf; iva—like; ambhasā—by water

Meaning

He who does actions, offering them to Brahman and abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not tainted by water.

Explanation

Here comes the image most associated with this chapter's teaching: one who offers all actions to Krishna (Brahman), abandoning the false claim of ownership over their fruits, remains as untouched by sinful reaction as a lotus leaf resting on water. Just as a lotus leaf's special coating keeps water from soaking in even though it is constantly in contact with it, work performed for Krishna's sake — rather than for one's own sense gratification — cannot bind the worker in karma. This is a practical formula for daily life: whatever the task, doing it as an offering to Krishna, without proprietorship over the results, purifies the action itself.

कायेन मनसा बुद्ध्या केवलैरिन्द्रियैरपि।
योगिनः कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वाऽऽत्मशुद्धये।।5.11।।

kāyena manasā buddhyā kevalair indriyair api
yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṁ tyaktvātma-śhuddhaye

Word-for-Word Translation

kāyena—with the body; manasā—with the mind; buddhyā—with the intellect; kevalaiḥ—only; indriyaiḥ—with the senses; api—even; yoginaḥ—the yogis; karma—actions; kurvanti—perform; saṅgam—attachment; tyaktvā—giving up; ātma—of the self; śhuddhaye—for the purification

Meaning

Yogis, having abandoned attachment, perform actions only through the body, mind, intellect, and even the senses, for the purification of the self.

Explanation

Krishna specifies that yogis use body, mind, intellect, and even the senses to act, but always having released personal clinging, purely for the sake of inner purification. Action itself isn't the obstacle; the sense of 'this is mine, this is for me' is what binds. Approaching even mundane duties — work, study, family responsibilities — as a means of self-purification rather than self-gratification is the essence of karma yoga in daily practice.

युक्तः कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिमाप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम्।
अयुक्तः कामकारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते।।5.12।।

yuktaḥ karma-phalaṁ tyaktvā śhāntim āpnoti naiṣhṭhikīm
ayuktaḥ kāma-kāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate

Word-for-Word Translation

yuktaḥ—one who is united in consciousness with God; karma-phalam—the results of all activities; tyaktvā—giving up; śhāntim—peace; āpnoti—attains; naiṣhṭhikīm—everlasting; ayuktaḥ—one who is not united with God in consciousness; kāma-kāreṇa—impelled by desires; phale—in the result; saktaḥ—attached; nibadhyate—becomes entangled

Meaning

The one who is united (the well-poised or harmonized) having abandoned the fruit of action attains eternal peace; whereas the one who is not united (the unsteady or unbalanced), impelled by desire and attached to the fruit, is bound.

Explanation

The contrast is drawn sharply here: the person situated in Krishna consciousness (yukta), who offers the results of work to Krishna, attains real and lasting peace, while the one who is not so situated, driven by personal desire for the fruits of action, remains entangled in karma. This isn't indifference to outcomes but a redirection of motive — knowing that Krishna is the true enjoyer and proprietor of all results, the devotee works without anxiety over gain or loss. Practitioners find that this surrender, more than any external show of renunciation, is what actually frees the mind from the constant anxiety of 'did I get what I wanted.'

सर्वकर्माणि मनसा संन्यस्यास्ते सुखं वशी।
नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन्न कारयन्।।5.13।।

sarva-karmāṇi manasā sannyasyāste sukhaṁ vaśhī
nava-dvāre pure dehī naiva kurvan na kārayan

Word-for-Word Translation

sarva—all; karmāṇi—activities; manasā—by the mind; sannyasya—having renounced; āste—remains; sukham—happily; vaśhī—the self-controlled; nava-dvāre—of nine gates; pure—in the city; dehī—the embodied being; na—never; eva—certainly; kurvan—doing anything; na—not; kārayan—causing to be done

Meaning

Mentally renouncing all actions and being self-controlled, the embodied one happily rests in the nine-gated city, neither acting nor causing others (body and senses) to act.

Explanation

Krishna paints a vivid picture of the self-controlled soul dwelling peacefully within the body — described poetically as a 'city of nine gates,' referring to the body's openings — neither acting nor compelling others to act out of selfish will. The peace described here isn't inactivity but the calm of someone who has stopped identifying with the machinery of body and senses as their true identity. This inner stillness amid outer activity is the mark of real mastery, not withdrawal from the world but freedom while remaining in it.

न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः।
न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते।।5.14।।

na kartṛitvaṁ na karmāṇi lokasya sṛijati prabhuḥ
na karma-phala-saṅyogaṁ svabhāvas tu pravartate

Word-for-Word Translation

na—neither; kartṛitvam—sense of doership; na—nor; karmāṇi—actions; lokasya—of the people; sṛijati—creates; prabhuḥ—God; na—nor; karma-phala—fruits of actions; sanyogam—connection; svabhāvaḥ—one’s nature; tu—but; pravartate—is enacted

Meaning

Neither does the Lord create agency nor actions for the world, nor union with the fruits of actions; rather, it is Nature that acts.

Explanation

Krishna makes an important theological point: the Supreme Lord, dwelling within as the Supersoul, does not create the living being's false sense of doership, nor does He force anyone into particular actions or their fruits — the living entity is constitutionally free, and it is his own desire, shaped by his past actions and the modes of material nature, that engages him in karma. The Lord only gives the living entity the freedom to act and impartially witnesses and sanctions, much as the earth's law does not force anyone to commit a crime yet still permits it. This protects the understanding that the Lord is never the cause of anyone's bondage or suffering; the living being binds himself through forgetfulness of his real, eternal relationship with Krishna, and can free himself the same way — through remembering it.

नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः।
अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः।।5.15।।

nādatte kasyachit pāpaṁ na chaiva sukṛitaṁ vibhuḥ
ajñānenāvṛitaṁ jñānaṁ tena muhyanti jantavaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

na—not; ādatte—accepts; kasyachit—anyone’s; pāpam—sin; na—not; cha—and; eva—certainly; su-kṛitam—virtuous deeds; vibhuḥ—the omnipresent God; ajñānena—by ignorance; āvṛitam—covered; jñānam—knowledge; tena—by that; muhyanti—are deluded; jantavaḥ—the living entities

Meaning

The Lord takes neither the demerit nor the merit of any; knowledge is enveloped by ignorance, and beings are deluded.

Explanation

Similarly, Krishna clarifies that the all-pervading Lord does not take on anyone's sin or merit — the confusion and wrongdoing we experience come from ignorance covering our natural knowledge, not from some divine assignment of fault. Beings become bewildered not because God causes it but because ignorance obscures the truth already present within. This reframes suffering as a symptom of forgetfulness of one's real nature rather than punishment, inviting compassion rather than fear in one's approach to spiritual life.

ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः।
तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम्।।5.16।।

jñānena tu tad ajñānaṁ yeṣhāṁ nāśhitam ātmanaḥ
teṣhām āditya-vaj jñānaṁ prakāśhayati tat param

Word-for-Word Translation

jñānena—by divine knowledge; tu—but; tat—that; ajñānam—ignorance; yeṣhām—whose; nāśhitam—has been destroyed; ātmanaḥ—of the self; teṣhām—their; āditya-vat—like the sun; jñānam—knowledge; prakāśhayati—illumines; tat—that; param—Supreme Entity

Meaning

But to those whose ignorance is destroyed by knowledge of the Self, like the sun, knowledge reveals the Supreme Brahman.

Explanation

For those whose ignorance has been dispelled through knowledge, Krishna offers the beautiful image of the sun: just as sunlight instantly reveals a whole landscape that was hidden in darkness, spiritual knowledge illuminates the Supreme Truth once ignorance is removed. It is not that the truth was ever absent, only unseen — practice and knowledge simply lift the veil. This is encouraging for anyone who feels spiritually stuck, since the destination is already present, waiting to be uncovered rather than constructed from scratch.

तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः।
गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः।।5.17।।

tad-buddhayas tad-ātmānas tan-niṣhṭhās tat-parāyaṇāḥ
gachchhantyapunar-āvṛittiṁ jñāna-nirdhūta-kalmaṣhāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

tat-buddhayaḥ—those whose intellect is directed toward God; tat-ātmānaḥ—those whose heart (mind and intellect) is solely absorbed in God; tat-niṣhṭhāḥ—those whose intellect has firm faith in God; tat-parāyaṇāḥ—those who strive after God as the supreme goal and refuge; gachchhanti—go; apunaḥ-āvṛittim—not returning; jñāna—by knowledge; nirdhūta—dispelled; kalmaṣhāḥ—sins

Meaning

Their intellect absorbed in That, their self being That, established in That, with That as their supreme goal, they go whence there is no return, their sins dispelled by knowledge.

Explanation

Krishna describes souls whose intellect, mind, faith, and ultimate refuge are all fixed on the Supreme — such single-pointed devotion dissolves accumulated sin through knowledge and leads to a state from which there is no falling back. The repetition of 'that' (tat) four times in the verse underscores how thoroughly absorbed such a soul becomes. It suggests that spiritual progress isn't about occasional effort but about gradually orienting every part of oneself — thought, feeling, conviction, and aim — toward the same singular goal.

विद्याविनयसंपन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि।
शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः।।5.18।।

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śhuni chaiva śhva-pāke cha paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśhinaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

vidyā—divine knowledge; vinaya—humbleness; sampanne—equipped with; brāhmaṇe—a Brahmin; gavi—a cow; hastini—an elephant; śhuni—a dog; cha—and; eva—certainly; śhva-pāke—a dog-eater; cha—and; paṇḍitāḥ—the learned; sama-darśhinaḥ—see with equal vision

Meaning

Sages look with an equal eye on a Brahmana endowed with learning and humility, on a cow, an elephant, a dog, and even an outcaste.

Explanation

This verse offers one of the Gita's most striking images of wisdom: the enlightened see with equal vision a learned and humble Brahmin, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and even an outcaste. This equal vision is spiritual, not physical or social — the paṇḍita sees the same eternal spirit soul, part and parcel of Krishna, present within every one of these vastly different bodies, even though the bodies themselves differ greatly and are dealt with differently in practical life. Because such a seer perceives the spiritual quality of the soul rather than the outer material designations of caste, species, or form, they are free of the false ego and material distinctions that produce pride and prejudice — a vision made possible only by knowledge of the self as spirit, distinct from the body.

इहैव तैर्जितः सर्गो येषां साम्ये स्थितं मनः।
निर्दोषं हि समं ब्रह्म तस्माद्ब्रह्मणि ते स्थिताः।।5.19।।

ihaiva tair jitaḥ sargo yeṣhāṁ sāmye sthitaṁ manaḥ
nirdoṣhaṁ hi samaṁ brahma tasmād brahmaṇi te sthitāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

iha eva—in this very life; taiḥ—by them; jitaḥ—conquer; sargaḥ—the creation; yeṣhām—whose; sāmye—in equanimity; sthitam—situated; manaḥ—mind; nirdoṣham—flawless; hi—certainly; samam—in equality; brahma—God; tasmāt—therefore; brahmaṇi—in the Absolute Truth; te—they; sthitāḥ—are seated

Meaning

Even here in this world, those whose minds rest in reality overcome birth; Brahman is indeed spotless and real; therefore they are established in Brahman.

Explanation

Those whose minds rest steadily in this equal vision have, Krishna says, already conquered the cycle of birth and death even while living in this world — because Brahman, the ultimate reality, is flawless and impartial, and their minds mirror that same quality. Liberation is described here not as something reserved for the moment of death but as a state accessible in the present, through the quality of one's awareness. It's an invitation to seek that inner evenness right now, in ordinary daily encounters, rather than treating spiritual freedom as a distant future event.

न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम्।
स्थिरबुद्धिरसम्मूढो ब्रह्मविद्ब्रह्मणि स्थितः।।5.20।।

na prahṛiṣhyet priyaṁ prāpya nodvijet prāpya chāpriyam
sthira-buddhir asammūḍho brahma-vid brahmaṇi sthitaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

na—neither; prahṛiṣhyet—rejoice; priyam—the pleasant; prāpya—obtaining; na—nor; udvijet—become disturbed; prāpya—attaining; cha—also; apriyam—the unpleasant; sthira-buddhiḥ—steady intellect; asammūḍhaḥ—firmly situated; brahma-vit—having a firm understanding of divine knowledge; brahmaṇi—established in God; sthitaḥ—situated

Meaning

Resting in Brahman, with a steady intellect and undeluded, the knower of Brahman neither rejoices upon obtaining what is pleasant nor grieves upon obtaining what is unpleasant.

Explanation

The self-realized soul, firmly grounded in the Supreme, doesn't get swept into elation when something pleasant happens or into distress when something unpleasant occurs. This even-mindedness isn't emotional numbness but a stability that comes from knowing one's true identity is not defined by fleeting circumstances. For a practitioner, cultivating this kind of steadiness — neither chasing highs nor dreading lows — is a realistic, gradual sadhana that pays off in resilience through life's inevitable ups and downs.

बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम्।
स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते।।5.21।।

bāhya-sparśheṣhvasaktātmā vindatyātmani yat sukham
sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣhayam aśhnute

Word-for-Word Translation

bāhya-sparśheṣhu—external sense pleasure; asakta-ātmā—those who are unattached; vindati—find; ātmani—in the self; yat—which; sukham—bliss; saḥ—that person; brahma-yoga yukta-ātmā—those who are united with God through yog; sukham—happiness; akṣhayam—unlimited; aśhnute—experiences

Meaning

With the self unattached to external contacts, he finds happiness in the Self; with the self engaged in the meditation of Brahman, he attains endless happiness.

Explanation

Krishna now points to an inner happiness that doesn't depend on external sense contact — one who is unattached to outside stimulation discovers a joy that already exists within the self, and through union with the Supreme in meditation, tastes a happiness that never diminishes. This verse quietly redirects the search for pleasure away from ever-changing external objects and toward the constant, self-sufficient joy of spiritual connection. It is a gentle counter to the modern habit of seeking fulfillment purely through outward sensation.

ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दुःखयोनय एव ते।
आद्यन्तवन्तः कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुधः।।5.22।।

ye hi sansparśha-jā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te
ādyantavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣhu ramate budhaḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

ye—which; hi—verily; sansparśha-jāḥ—born of contact with the sense objects; bhogāḥ—pleasures; duḥkha—misery; yonayaḥ—source of; eva—verily; te—they are; ādya-antavantaḥ—having beginning and end; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; na—never; teṣhu—in those; ramate—takes delight; budhaḥ—the wise

Meaning

The enjoyments that arise from contact are only sources of pain, for they have a beginning and an end, O Arjuna; the wise do not rejoice in them.

Explanation

Krishna warns that pleasures arising purely from contact of the senses with their objects are, in the end, sources of misery, because they have a beginning and an end — the body itself is temporary, and pleasures tied to it only bind the soul to further birth and death. The wise, who understand this cycle, do not seek delight in such fleeting sense enjoyment, since a devotee prays only to be engaged in Krishna's service, not to court repeated material embodiment for the sake of sense gratification. This isn't a rejection of the senses themselves but a warning that pleasures confined to the body cannot lead anywhere but back into the cycle of repeated birth and death.

शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात्।
कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः।।5.23।।

śhaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṁ prāk śharīra-vimokṣhaṇāt
kāma-krodhodbhavaṁ vegaṁ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

śhaknoti—is able; iha eva—in the present body; yaḥ—who; soḍhum—to withstand; prāk—before; śharīra—the body; vimokṣhaṇāt—giving up; kāma—desire; krodha—anger; udbhavam—generated from; vegam—forces; saḥ—that person; yuktaḥ—yogi; saḥ—that person; sukhī—happy; naraḥ—person

Meaning

He who is able, while still here in this world, to withstand the impulse born out of desire and anger before the liberation from the body, he is a Yogi, and he is a happy man.

Explanation

Krishna praises the person who, while still living in this body, can withstand the surges of desire and anger that constantly arise — calling such a person both a true yogi and a genuinely happy individual. The emphasis on 'while still here' suggests this inner mastery is meant to be developed now, in this very life, rather than postponed. Learning to pause before reacting to a rising urge of desire or anger is, in effect, a daily training ground for the freedom described throughout this chapter.

योऽन्तःसुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथान्तर्ज्योतिरेव यः।
स योगी ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं ब्रह्मभूतोऽधिगच्छति।।5.24।।

yo 'ntaḥ-sukho 'ntar-ārāmas tathāntar-jyotir eva yaḥ
sa yogī brahma-nirvāṇaṁ brahma-bhūto 'dhigachchhati

Word-for-Word Translation

yaḥ—who; antaḥ-sukhaḥ—happy within the self; antaḥ-ārāmaḥ—enjoying within the self; tathā; antaḥ-jyotiḥ—illumined by the inner light; eva—certainly; yaḥ—who; saḥ; yogī—yogi; brahma-nirvāṇam—liberation from material existence; brahmabhūtaḥ—united with the Lord; adhigachchhati—attains

Meaning

He who is happy within, who rejoices within, and who is illuminated within, that Yogi attains absolute freedom, or Moksha, becoming Brahman himself.

Explanation

Someone who finds happiness within, delights within, and is illumined from within no longer depends on external circumstances for wellbeing — such a yogi attains liberation in the Supreme, becoming brahma-bhūta. Prabhupada explains that this brahma-bhūta stage is not the end in itself but the doorway to pure devotional service: one who is thus self-realized becomes fully joyful, never laments or desires anything, and sees all living beings with equal vision, which is the platform from which love for Krishna naturally blossoms. So this inner happiness described here is a preparatory purification, not a static, impersonal peace, but the threshold of active loving service to the Lord.

लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः।
छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः।।5.25।।

labhante brahma-nirvāṇam ṛiṣhayaḥ kṣhīṇa-kalmaṣhāḥ
chhinna-dvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

labhante—achieve; brahma-nirvāṇam—liberation from material existence; ṛiṣhayaḥ—holy persons; kṣhīṇa-kalmaṣhāḥ—whose sins have been purged; chhinna—annihilated; dvaidhāḥ—doubts; yata-ātmānaḥ—whose minds are disciplined; sarva-bhūta—for all living entities; hite—in welfare work; ratāḥ—rejoice

Meaning

The sages obtain absolute freedom or Moksha when their sins have been destroyed, their dualities have been torn asunder, they are self-controlled, and they are intent on the welfare of all beings.

Explanation

Those sages who have purified themselves of sin, resolved their doubts, disciplined their minds, and devoted themselves to the welfare of all beings attain this same liberation. Prabhupada specifies that "welfare of all beings" here means engaging others in Krishna consciousness, the only welfare work that benefits the eternal soul — ordinary social, national, or humanitarian work addresses only the temporary body and cannot bring the same lasting good. This shows that genuine spiritual advancement and compassion for others are linked, but the highest compassion is helping someone revive their forgotten relationship with Krishna, not merely their bodily or material comfort.

कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम्।
अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम्।।5.26।।

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

Word-for-Word Translation

kāma—desires; krodha—anger; vimuktānām—of those who are liberated; yatīnām—of the saintly persons; yata-chetasām—those self-realized persons who have subdued their mind; abhitaḥ—from every side; brahma—spiritual; nirvāṇam—liberation from material existence; vartate—exists; vidita-ātmanām—of those who are self-realized

Meaning

Absolute freedom exists on all sides for those self-controlled ascetics who are free from desire and anger, who have controlled their thoughts, and who have realized the Self.

Explanation

For ascetics who have freed themselves from desire and anger, mastered their thoughts, and come to know their true self, liberation is described as being present 'on all sides' — always available, not hidden away in some distant place. This reinforces the chapter's recurring theme that freedom is a quality of inner life accessible anywhere, at any time, to a prepared and disciplined heart, rather than a reward found only in special circumstances.

स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवोः।
प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ।।5.27।।

sparśhān kṛitvā bahir bāhyānśh chakṣhuśh chaivāntare bhruvoḥ
prāṇāpānau samau kṛitvā nāsābhyantara-chāriṇau

Word-for-Word Translation

sparśhān—contacts (through senses); kṛitvā—keeping; bahiḥ—outside; bāhyān—external; chakṣhuḥ—eyes; cha—and; eva—certainly; antare—between; bhruvoḥ—of the eyebrows; prāṇa-apānau—the outgoing and incoming breaths; samau—equal; kṛitvā—keeping; nāsa-abhyantara—within the nostrils; chāriṇau—moving; yata—controlled; indriya—senses; manaḥ—mind; buddhiḥ—intellect; muniḥ—the sage; mokṣha—liberation; parāyaṇaḥ—dedicated; vigata—free; ichchhā—desires; bhaya—fear; krodhaḥ—anger; yaḥ—who; sadā—always; muktaḥ—liberated; eva—certainly; saḥ—that person

Meaning

Shutting out all external contacts and fixing the gaze between the eyebrows, realizing the outgoing and incoming breaths moving within the nostrils.

Explanation

Krishna now begins to describe the mechanics of aṣṭāṅga-yoga meditation: withdrawing attention from external sensory contact, fixing the gaze between the eyebrows, and steadying the incoming and outgoing breath within the nostrils. Prabhupada notes that this yogic process of sense and breath control is difficult to perform and, especially in the present age, is not a practical or recommended path for most people — chanting the holy names of Krishna and engaging directly in devotional service accomplishes the same purification of mind and senses far more easily. So this brief description is given for completeness, not as the method Krishna will ultimately urge Arjuna to adopt.

यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायणः।
विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो यः सदा मुक्त एव सः।।5.28।।

yatendriya-mano-buddhir munir mokṣha-parāyaṇaḥ
vigatechchhā-bhaya-krodho yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

yata—controlled; indriya—senses; manaḥ—mind; buddhiḥ—intelligence; muniḥ—the transcendentalist; mokṣa—liberation; parāyaṇaḥ—being so destined; vigata—discarded; icchā—wishes; bhaya—fear; krodhaḥ—anger; yaḥ—one who; sadā—always; muktaḥ—liberated; eva—certainly; saḥ—he is

Meaning

With the senses, mind, and intellect ever controlled, having liberation as their supreme goal, free from desire, fear, and anger, the sage is truly liberated forever.

Explanation

Continuing the description, the sage who has thus controlled the senses, mind, and intellect, and who is dedicated to liberation, free from desire, fear, and anger, is said to be truly and permanently free. The verse ties together the meditative technique of the previous verse with the qualities described throughout the chapter — showing that outer discipline and inner purification support one another on the path to freedom.

भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम्।
सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति।।5.29।।

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśhvaram
suhṛidaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śhāntim ṛichchhati

Word-for-Word Translation

bhoktāram—the enjoyer; yajña—sacrifices; tapasām—austerities; sarva-loka—of all worlds; mahā-īśhvaram—the Supreme Lord; su-hṛidam—the selfless Friend; sarva—of all; bhūtānām—the living beings; jñātvā—having realized; mām—me (Lord Krishna); śhāntim—peace; ṛichchhati—attains

Meaning

He who knows Me as the enjoyer of sacrifices and austerities, the great Lord of all the worlds, and the friend of all beings, attains peace.

Explanation

The chapter closes with Krishna revealing himself as the ultimate object of this knowledge: the enjoyer of all sacrifice and austerity, the Supreme Lord of all worlds, and the selfless friend of every living being. Prabhupada calls this specific knowledge the panacea for the material diseases of the conditioned soul — all the anxiety, striving, and misidentification described throughout the chapter arise from forgetting this relationship with Krishna, and real, complete peace comes only from reviving it. It is a fitting conclusion, showing that the yoga, renunciation, and equanimity discussed in this chapter are not ends in themselves but are meant to bring the soul back to this personal, loving relationship with Krishna.