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Bhagavad-gītā 5.24

योऽन्त:सुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथान्तर्ज्योतिरेव य: । स योगी ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं ब्रह्मभूतोऽधिगच्छति ॥ २४ ॥
yo ’ntaḥ-sukho ’ntar-ārāmas
[yo ’ntah-sukho ’ntar-aaraamas]
tathāntar-jyotir eva yaḥ
[tathaantar-jyotir eva yah]
sa yogī brahma-nirvāṇaṁ
[sa yogee brahma-nirvaanam]
brahma-bhūto ’dhigacchati
[brahma-bhooto ’dhigachchati]
Word-for-word
yaḥ — one who antaḥ - sukhaḥ — happy from within antaḥ - ārāmaḥ — actively enjoying within tathā — as well as antaḥ - jyotiḥ — aiming within eva — certainly yaḥ — anyone saḥ — he yogī — a mystic brahma - nirvāṇam — liberation in the Supreme brahma - bhūtaḥ — being self-realized adhigacchati — attains .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yo ’ntaḥ-sukho ’ntar-ārāmas
tathāntar-jyotir eva yaḥ
yaḥ
one who
sa yogī brahma-nirvāṇaṁ
antaḥ - sukhaḥ
happy from within
antaḥ - ārāmaḥ
actively enjoying within
tathā
as well as
antaḥ - jyotiḥ
aiming within
eva
certainly
yaḥ
anyone
saḥ
he
yogī
a mystic
brahma-bhūto ’dhigacchati
brahma - nirvāṇam
liberation in the Supreme
brahma - bhūtaḥ
being self-realized
adhigacchati
attains .
Important Words
  • antaḥ-sukhaḥ — happy from within
    Antaḥ — within. Sukha — happiness. The location of the happiness is interior; the yogī carries his happiness inside the body the way a deity carries a sanctum inside a temple.
  • antaḥ-ārāmaḥ — actively enjoying within
    Ārāma — garden, place of pleasure. The same word from which Rāma's name is derived in some etymologies. The yogī's pleasure-garden is interior. The metaphor is gentle: it is a garden, not a fortress.
  • antaḥ-jyotiḥ — aiming within
    Jyotiḥ — light. The yogī's light is interior. Compare the lamp metaphor in 6.19 — yathā dīpo nivāta-stho. The Gītā's image-vocabulary for inner spiritual life centers on lamps and lights.
  • brahma-nirvāṇam — liberation in the Supreme
    Nirvāṇa — extinction, blowing out. Paired with brahma it names the extinguishing of false ego and material identification, not the annihilation of the jīva. Acintya-bhedābheda: the soul rests in the brahman effulgence as a ray rests in the sun — one in quality, distinct in person, free to render eternal service.
  • brahma-bhūtaḥ — being self-realized
    Brahma + bhūta — 'become brahman.' The yogī has not merely approached or studied; he has structurally become. The same word is celebrated in 18.54 (brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā). It is the technical state of having transitioned to spiritual identity.
One whose happiness is within, who is active and rejoices within, and whose aim is inward is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme, and ultimately he attains the Supreme.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Three antar-compounds — inner happiness, inner joy, inner light — describe the yogin whose center of gravity is wholly interior. Already brahma-bhūta (Brahman-become), he attains brahma-nirvāṇa — the quenching of saṁsāra in Brahman.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Brahma-nirvāṇa is a remarkable Gītā coinage that bridges Vedānta and Buddhist vocabularies: nirvāṇa (extinction of saṁsāric fire) located in Brahman. The triple antar- discipline forms a meditative spec: source the sukha, ārāma, jyotis from within, not from outside. Brahma-bhūta will return in 18.54 as bhakti's prerequisite.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
यः अन्तः-सुखः अन्तः-आरामः तथा यः अन्तः-ज्योतिः एव सः योगी ब्रह्म-भूतः ब्रह्म-निर्वाणम् अधिगच्छति ।
yaḥ antaḥ-sukhaḥ antaḥ-ārāmaḥ tathā yaḥ antaḥ-jyotiḥ eva saḥ yogī brahma-bhūtaḥ brahma-nirvāṇam adhigacchati |
He whose happiness is within, whose joy is within, and whose light is within — that yogin, having become Brahman, attains Brahman-nirvāṇa.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
यः अन्तः-सुखः अन्तः-आरामः तथा अन्तः-ज्योतिः एव यः । सः योगी ब्रह्म-निर्वाणम् ब्रह्म-भूतः अधिगच्छति ॥
yaḥ antaḥ-sukhaḥ antaḥ-ārāmaḥ tathā antaḥ-jyotiḥ eva yaḥ | saḥ yogī brahma-nirvāṇam brahma-bhūtaḥ adhigacchati ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
यः yaḥ rel. pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. he who
अन्तः-सुखः antaḥ-sukhaḥ अन्तर् + सुख (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) whose happiness is within
अन्तः-आरामः antaḥ-ārāmaḥ अन्तर् + आराम (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) whose joy is within
तथा tathā ind. (indeclinable) likewise
अन्तः-ज्योतिः antaḥ-jyotiḥ अन्तर् + ज्योतिस् (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) whose light is within
एव eva ind. (indeclinable) indeed
सः saḥ dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. he
योगी yogī योगिन् (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) yogin
ब्रह्म-निर्वाणम् brahma-nirvāṇam ब्रह्मन् + निर्वाण (n.) acc.sg. (accusative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) Brahman-nirvāṇa
ब्रह्म-भूतः brahma-bhūtaḥ ब्रह्मन् + भूत p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) having become Brahman
अधिगच्छति adhigacchati अधि + √गम् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) attains
Purport

Unless one is able to relish happiness from within, how can one retire from the external engagements meant for deriving superficial happiness? A liberated person enjoys happiness by factual experience. He can, therefore, sit silently at any place and enjoy the activities of life from within. Such a liberated person no longer desires external material happiness. This state is called brahma-bhūta, attaining which one is assured of going back to Godhead, back to home.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
24. He whose happiness is within, whose enjoyment is within, and whose sight is within, is a yogī, and, having attained the stage of Brahman, attains liberation.
Commentary

This verse states that one who transcends saṁsāra attains realization of the state of Brahman, which is happiness. He who has happiness in the soul (antara), because he enjoys in the soul (not by external objects), and therefore directs his vision to the soul (antar jyotiḥ), attains the happiness of Brahman. [Note: Later Viśvanātha comments that this phrase means liberation.]

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
24. This niṣkāma karma yogī, whose happiness is within, whose enjoyment is within, and whose sight is within, having realized ātmā and then paramātmā, attains liberation.
Commentary

This verse explains that, by this joy, he conquers the disturbance. He who has happiness through realizing the ātmā within, whose has amusement through that realization (ārāmaḥ), whose vision is concentrated upon the ātmā alone (antar jyotiḥ)—such a niṣkāma karma yogī (sa yogī), having attained his svarūpa as the pure jīva (brahma bhūtaḥ), attains paramātmā (brahma), who is the very form of liberation. By attaining the Lord he attains liberation (nirvāṇam).

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

This Section (17‑26), describes liberation which comes through fixing one's consciousness on the Supersoul. That knowledge that one is not the body, that is not enough. Bhakti, knowledge of the Supreme Lord is needed for all kinds of liberation ‑ even Brahman realization, even Paramatma realization and of course, Bhagavan realization. Srila Prabhupada says in his Purport: "Unless one is able to relish happiness from within, how can one retire from the external engagements meant for deriving superficial happiness? A liberated person enjoys happiness by factual experience.[This is his secret, he is factually experienced in Krsna and therefore it is for him to tolerate from "eating mud" because he is drinking "nectar" and "eating sweetmeats". So where is this taste for mud? This is the secret of Krsna consciousness and getting out of maya ‑ one has to get the higher taste of Krsna consciousness urgently. One has to chant, hear, to get association, otherwise one will not be able to tolerate these urges after a long period of time]." He can, therefore, sit silently at any place and enjoy the activities of life from within. Such a liberated person no longer desires external material happiness. This state is called brahma‑bhuta, attaining which one is assured of going back to Godhead, back to home."

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Higher taste – One gets the strength to tolerate the sensual urges by focussing his happiness,

activities and goals inward

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 5.24 AND 5.25:

Krishna gives more symptoms of one seeking satisfaction in spirit, not matter

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
5.24 Yah antah-sukhah, one who is happy within, in the indwelling Self; and so also antar-aramah, has pleasure within-he disports only in the Self within; similarly, antar-jyotih eva, has his light only within, has the indwelling Self alone as his light; [He has not to depend on the organs like ear etc. for aciring knowledge.] sah yogi, that yogi; yah, who is of this kind; brahma-bhutah, having become Brahman, even while he is still living; adhigacchati, attains; brahma-nirvanam, absorption in Brahman-gets Liberation. Besides,
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
5.24 He who, renouncing all the experiences of outside objects, 'finds joy within,' i.e., finds his sole joy in experiencing the self; 'who has his pleasure within,' i.e., whose pleasure-garden is the self; and with regard to whom the self increases his happiness by Its own alities like bliss, knowledge, sinlessness, etc.; 'whose light is within,' i.e., who lives, directing his knowledge solely on the self - a person of such a description is the Yogin, who 'having become the Brahman (the self), attains the bliss of the Brahman' i.e., the bliss of experiencing the self.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
5.24 Yo'ntah etc : Within : For him there is happiness nowhere but within and it does not depend on any external object ; there alone he rejoices; his lustre is there only. But, there is an apparent ignorance [of him] in his worldly dealings. That has been said as - '[A man of realisation] would wander, like a fool, with no inclination for discussion.' (PS, 71)
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
5.24 He who is happy within, who rejoices within, and who is illuminated within, that Yogi attains absolute freedom or Moksha, himself becoming Brahman.
Commentary

5.24 यः who? अन्तःसुखः one whose happiness is within? अन्तरारामः one who rejoices within? तथा also? अन्तर्ज्योतिः one who is illuminated within? एव even? यः who? सः that? योगी Yogi? ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् absolute freedom or Moksha? ब्रह्मभूतः becoming Brahman? अधिगच्छति attains.Commentary Within meansin the Self. He attains Brahmanirvanam or liberation while living. He becomes a Jivanmukta.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
5.24 One who is happy within, whose pleasure is within, and who has his light only within, that yogi, having become Brahman, attains absorption in Brahman.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
5.24 He who is happy within his Self and has found Its peace, and in whom the inner light shines, that sage attains Eternal Bliss and becomes the Spirit Itself.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 6.27 BG 6.28 BG 18.54 SB 1.2.6 SB 7.9.43 SB 11.14.12 CC Madhya 8.70 CC Madhya 19.149 CC Antya 15.19 Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.7.1Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.21
Concepts
NirvanaMaya
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
He who finds happiness within, joy within, illumination within — that yogi attains liberation in Brahman.
Practical Applications
  • Practice locating the source of joy as inner.
  • Reduce the externals you depend on for illumination.
  • Trust the inner light when outer circumstances dim.
Reflection Questions
  • When was I last lit from within?
  • What practice rekindles that light?
Analogy

A lamp lit in the interior of a sealed chamber needs no external fuel and no external air — it burns by its own fuel within. The yogī becomes such a lamp: happiness within, joy within, illumination within. Once the inner combustion is established, the outside weather of the world ceases to threaten the flame.

Stories
Sanātana Gosvāmī in the Vṛndāvana forests

After renouncing his ministership under the Bengal sultan, Sanātana Gosvāmī spent his last decades in the Vṛndāvana forests. He had no possessions, lived under different trees on different nights, ate what alms came, suffered an intense skin disease in old age.

Visitors who came expecting to find a sad ascetic found instead a man overflowing with joy. He spent his days writing the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta and the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, both works saturated with the sweetness of Vraja. He had nothing without, and he was full within.

Yaḥ antaḥ-sukhaḥ antaḥ-ārāmaḥ tathā antaḥ-jyotiḥ — the threefold inner location of his life. He had reached the state where outer circumstances had become indifferent because the inner light was burning at full brightness.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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