FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 5.25

లభన్తే బ్రహ్మనిర్వాణమృషయ: క్షీణకల్మషా: । ఛిన్నద్వైధా యతాత్మాన: సర్వభూతహితే రతా: ॥ ౨౫ ॥
labhante brahma-nirvāṇam
[labhante brahma-nirvaanam]
ṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ
[rishayah ksheena-kalmashaah]
chinna-dvaidhā yatātmānaḥ
[chinna-dvaidhaa yataatmaanah]
sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
[sarva-bhoota-hite rataah]
Word-for-word
labhante — achieve brahma - nirvāṇam — liberation in the Supreme ṛṣayaḥ — those who are active within kṣīṇa - kalmaṣāḥ — who are devoid of all sins chinna — having torn off dvaidhāḥ — duality yata - ātmānaḥ — engaged in self-realization sarva - bhūta — for all living entities hite — in welfare work ratāḥ — engaged .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
labhante brahma-nirvāṇam
labhante
achieve
brahma - nirvāṇam
liberation in the Supreme
ṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ
ṛṣayaḥ
those who are active within
kṣīṇa - kalmaṣāḥ
who are devoid of all sins
chinna-dvaidhā yatātmānaḥ
chinna
having torn off
dvaidhāḥ
duality
yata - ātmānaḥ
engaged in self-realization
sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
sarva - bhūta
for all living entities
hite
in welfare work
ratāḥ
engaged .
Important Words
  • ṛṣayaḥ — those who are active within
    From √ṛṣ — 'to flow, to move.' Or alternatively from a root meaning 'to see.' The ṛṣi is one in whom inner movement and inner vision are joined. Prabhupāda glosses the word here in its activity-aspect.
  • kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ — who are devoid of all sins
    Kṣīṇa — exhausted, worn away. Kalmaṣa — stain, as in 5.17. The compound names the completion of the cleansing process. Liberation does not require sinlessness from the start; it requires the kṣaya of accumulated stain.
  • chinna-dvaidhāḥ — having torn off duality
    Chinna — cut, torn. Dvaidha — twoness, doubt. The duality-fabric is not unpicked stitch by stitch but ripped through. Compare nirdvandvaḥ in verse 3 — the chapter returns to the dvandva-question with stronger language.
  • ratāḥ — engaged
    From √ram — 'to take delight, to rest in.' The same root as ramate in verse 22, here negated of sense-pleasures. The liberated soul's delight has not vanished; it has migrated from personal fruits to sarva-bhūta-hita, the welfare of all beings.
  • yata-ātmānaḥ — engaged in self-realization
    Yata — controlled, restrained. The same root behind yati, a renunciate. The ṛṣi has brought his own ātmā into his hand. Self-control is the foundation on which the outward turn to sarva-bhūta-hita stands; without it, welfare work degenerates into self-promotion.
Those who are beyond the dualities that arise from doubts, whose minds are engaged within, who are always busy working for the welfare of all living beings and who are free from all sins achieve liberation in the Supreme.
Purport

Only a person who is fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be said to be engaged in welfare work for all living entities. When a person is actually in the knowledge that Kṛṣṇa is the fountainhead of everything, then when he acts in that spirit he acts for everyone. The sufferings of humanity are due to forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa as the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor and the supreme friend. Therefore, to act to revive this consciousness within the entire human society is the highest welfare work. One cannot be engaged in such first-class welfare work without being liberated in the Supreme. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has no doubt about the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa. He has no doubt because he is completely freed from all sins. This is the state of divine love. A person engaged only in ministering to the physical welfare of human society cannot factually help anyone. Temporary relief of the external body and the mind is not satisfactory. The real cause of one’s difficulties in the hard struggle for life may be found in one’s forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord. When a man is fully conscious of his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, he is actually a liberated soul, although he may be in the material tabernacle.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
25. The sages, devoid of ignorance, devoid of dualities, with controlled mind, engaged in the welfare of all beings, attain liberation.
Commentary

This verse shows how many persons attain perfection through this practice.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
25. The sages, devoid of ignorance, devoid of dualities, with controlled mind, engaged in the welfare of all beings, attain liberation.
Commentary

This verse explains that many people attain perfection through this sādhana. Those who have vision of the truth (ṛṣayaḥ), who have all their doubts destroyed (china dvaidhā), (who have destroyed all ignorance, controlled their minds and are engage in the welfare of all beings) attain paramātmā and liberation.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

This looks very difficult. One may think is possible but it will take him long time. So, Krsna speaks the text 26.

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

He engages in purifying his external activities by working for the benefit of others

He is beyond the dualities that arise from doubts
Minds are engaged within
Thus one is free from all sins and achieves Brahma-nirvana stage or liberation in the Supreme

Focus of Learning

(a) Brahma-bhuta stage (Liberated platform)

To enjoy happiness by factual experience within
No longer interested in material external happiness

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TEXT 5.24

We must get a higher taste. It is urgent. We have to hear, chant and have good

association; otherwise, we will be unable to tolerate the urges of the senses over time.

(a) Forces of senses – Six urges i.e. speech, anger, mind, tongue, stomach, genitals

(b) Duty of transcendentalists – To strenuously try to control desire and anger

Material desires if un-satiated creates anger : Mind, eyes and chest becomes agitated
Why to tolerate – One must practice to control them before one gives up this material body to make steady progress on spiritual path and achieve transcendental bliss

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TEXT 5.23

How long will we have to tolerate the pushings of the mind and senses? Does maya give up? One day, do we wake up liberated, freed from the impediments caused by the mind and senses? This verse answers that sense attraction must be tolerated until death.
We can remain tolerant by fixing our consciousness on Krishna. The pleasure of Krishna consciousness, combined with the conviction that nothing in this world can bring lasting happiness, will help us tolerate the pushings of the body and mind.

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 5.24 & 5.25: After reading Text 5.24 and 5.25, we may think that achieving

liberation is too difficult, and we may become discouraged. In Text 5.24, Srila Prabhupada’s translation

uses the word “ultimately,” as if to caution us that the result won’t be quickly achieved. Similarly, the

qualities mentioned in these two verses are rarely found.

In the next verse, however, Krishna speaks reassuringly.

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
5.25 Rsayah, the seers, those who have full realization, the monks; ksina-kalmasah, whose sins, defects like sin etc., have been attenuated; chinna-dvaidhah, who are freed from doubt; yata-atmanah, whose organs are under control; ratah, who are engaged; sarvabhutahite, in doing good to all beings-favourably disposed towards all, i.e. harmless; labhante, attain; brahma-nirvanam, absorption in Brahman, Liberation. Further,
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
5.25 The sages are seers who are devoted to the vision of the self. For them the pairs of opposites are annulled; i.e., they are freed from pairs of opposites like cold and heat, etc. 'They have their minds well subdued,' i.e., their minds are directed to the self. 'They are devoted to the welfare of all beings,' i.e., they are interested in the welfare of all beings like their own selves. Those persons who are like this have all their impurities, which are incompatible with the attainment of the self, annulled, and they attain to the bliss of the Brahman. For those possessing the characteristics mentioned above, Sri Krsna now teaches that the Brahman is easy to attain.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
5.25 Labhante etc. This [goal] is however possible to attain for those in whom the double knots in the form of dualism and doubt have been cut off.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
5.25 The sages (Rishis) 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

5.25 लभन्ते obtain? ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् absolute freedom? ऋषयः the Rishis? क्षीणकल्मषाः those whose sins are destroyed? छिन्नद्वैधाः whose dualities are torn asunder? यतात्मानः those who are selfcontrolled? सर्वभूतहिते in the welfare of all beings? रताः rejoicing.Commentary Sins are destroyed by the performance of Agnihotra (a daily obligatoyr 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 nondual Brahman. He never hurts others in thought? word and 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)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
5.25 The seers whose sins have been attenuated, who are freed from doubt, whose organs are under control, who are engaged in doing good to all beings, attain absorption in Brahman.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
5.25 Sages whose sins have been washed away, whose sense of separateness has vanished, who have subdued themselves, and seek only the welfare of all, come to the Eternal Spirit.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 12.4 BG 12.13 BG 5.26 SB 7.9.43 SB 11.2.46 SB 1.4.12 CC Madhya 7.128 CC Ādi 9.41 CC Antya 3.258 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.9BRS 1.2.187
Concepts
Nirvana
Sciences essays referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Sages whose sins are destroyed, whose dualities are torn, who are self-controlled and engaged in welfare of all beings — attain liberation.
Practical Applications
  • Aim for both — purification and active welfare of others.
  • Recognize that liberation is connected to caring for all beings, not just for oneself.
  • Engage in some welfare-oriented work this season.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is my path becoming too inward and skipping welfare?
  • What welfare work fits my capacity?
Analogy

A skilled gardener clears the weeds in his own plot and then tends the neighbor's garden too — because the work of clearing has revealed that all gardens drink from the same water. The ṛṣis whose sins are cleared turn naturally to sarva-bhūta-hite, the welfare of all beings. The two movements are inseparable.

Stories
Vālmīki's transformation

Vālmīki, who had been a highway robber, was transformed by chanting the name of Rāma (in inverted form, mara-mara, as tradition tells it). His past sins were cleared away over years of austerity. Yet his liberation did not turn him inward and silent.

When Nārada came and told him the story of Rāma, Vālmīki gave the rest of his life to composing the Rāmāyaṇa — a poem of twenty-four thousand verses meant for the welfare of every soul who would ever read or hear it. He sheltered the exiled Sītā and her sons in his āśrama; he taught Lava and Kuśa to sing the Rāmāyaṇa back to its protagonist.

Kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ... sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ. The cleared one became the great well-wisher. The verse is Vālmīki's biography compressed.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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