FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 5.27-28

స్పర్శాన్కృత్వా బహిర్బాహ్యాంశ్చక్షుశ్చైవాన్తరే భ్రువో: । ప్రాణాపానౌ సమౌ కృత్వా నాసాభ్యన్తరచారిణౌ ॥ ౨౭ ॥ యతేన్ద్రియమనోబుద్ధిర్మునిర్మోక్షపరాయణ: । విగతేచ్ఛాభయక్రోధో య: సదా ముక్త ఏవ స: ॥ ౨౮ ॥
sparśān kṛtvā bahir bāhyāṁś
[sparshaan kritvaa bahir baahyaamsh]
cakṣuś caivāntare bhruvoḥ
[chakshush chaivaantare bhruvoh]
prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā
[praanaapaanau samau kritvaa]
nāsābhyantara-cāriṇau
[naasaabhyantara-chaarinau]
yatendriya-mano-buddhir
[yatendriya-mano-buddhir]
munir mokṣa-parāyaṇaḥ
[munir moksha-paraayanah]
vigatecchā-bhaya-krodho
[vigatechchaa-bhaya-krodho]
yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ
[yah sadaa mukta eva sah]
Word-for-word
sparśān — sense objects, such as sound kṛtvā — keeping bahiḥ — external bāhyān — unnecessary cakṣuḥ — eyes ca — also eva — certainly antare — between bhruvoḥ — the eyebrows prāṇa - apānau — up- and down-moving air samau — in suspension kṛtvā — keeping nāsa - abhyantara — within the nostrils cāriṇau — blowing yata — controlled indriya — senses manaḥ — mind buddhiḥ — intelligence muniḥ — the transcendentalist mokṣa — for liberation parāyaṇaḥ — being so destined vigata — having discarded icchā — wishes bhaya — fear krodhaḥ — anger yaḥ — one who sadā — always muktaḥ — liberated eva — certainly saḥ — he is .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sparśān kṛtvā bahir bāhyāṁś
sparśān
sense objects, such as sound
kṛtvā
keeping
bahiḥ
external
bāhyān
unnecessary
cakṣuś caivāntare bhruvoḥ
cakṣuḥ
eyes
ca
also
prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā
nāsābhyantara-cāriṇau
yatendriya-mano-buddhir
munir mokṣa-parāyaṇaḥ
vigatecchā-bhaya-krodho
yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ
eva
certainly
antare
between
bhruvoḥ
the eyebrows
prāṇa - apānau
up- and down-moving air
samau
in suspension
kṛtvā
keeping
nāsa - abhyantara
within the nostrils
cāriṇau
blowing
yata
controlled
indriya
senses
manaḥ
mind
buddhiḥ
intelligence
muniḥ
the transcendentalist
mokṣa
for liberation
parāyaṇaḥ
being so destined
vigata
having discarded
icchā
wishes
bhaya
fear
krodhaḥ
anger
yaḥ
one who
sadā
always
muktaḥ
liberated
eva
certainly
saḥ
he is .
Important Words
  • bāhyān — unnecessary, external
    From bāhya — external. The same root as bāhya-sparśeṣu in verse 21. The meditator's first act is to seal the doors of the city of nine gates against external sense-contact. Prabhupāda glosses 'unnecessary' to mark these contacts as expendable for the meditator, not essential.
  • prāṇa-apānau — up- and down-moving air
    Prāṇa — the upward vital current. Apāna — the downward. The two breaths are equalized — samau — suspending the normal in-out rhythm. This is a precise technical instruction from the haṭha-yoga tradition embedded in the Gītā.
  • yata-indriya-manaḥ-buddhiḥ — controlled senses, mind, and intelligence
    A triple-yoked compound. The discipline reaches inward: senses, then mind, then intelligence. Compare the three layers of verse 11; the chapter is consistent about the architecture of the human instrument.
  • muniḥ — the transcendentalist
    Returns from verse 6. The muni is the contemplative; here the contemplative is given the technical procedure. The chapter has steadily specified what the muni does, culminating in this two-verse meditation manual.
  • vigata-icchā-bhaya-krodhaḥ — having discarded wishes, fear, and anger
    Vigata — departed from. Three internal disturbances named together: icchā (desire), bhaya (fear), krodha (anger). Note that fear joins desire and anger here — Kṛṣṇa adds the third leg to the kāma-krodha pair the chapter has tracked.
Shutting out all external sense objects, keeping the eyes and vision concentrated between the two eyebrows, suspending the inward and outward breaths within the nostrils, and thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the transcendentalist aiming at liberation becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly liberated.
Purport

Being engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one can immediately understand one’s spiritual identity, and then one can understand the Supreme Lord by means of devotional service. When one is well situated in devotional service, one comes to the transcendental position, qualified to feel the presence of the Lord in the sphere of one’s activity. This particular position is called liberation in the Supreme. After explaining the above principles of liberation in the Supreme, the Lord gives instruction to Arjuna as to how one can come to that position by the practice of the mysticism or yoga known as aṣṭāṅga-yoga, which is divisible into an eightfold procedure called yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi. In the Sixth Chapter the subject of yoga is explicitly detailed, and at the end of the Fifth it is only preliminarily explained. One has to drive out the sense objects such as sound, touch, form, taste and smell by the pratyāhāra process in yoga, and then keep the vision of the eyes between the two eyebrows and concentrate on the tip of the nose with half-closed lids. There is no benefit in closing the eyes altogether, because then there is every chance of falling asleep. Nor is there benefit in opening the eyes completely, because then there is the hazard of being attracted by sense objects. The breathing movement is restrained within the nostrils by neutralizing the up-moving and down-moving air within the body. By practice of such yoga one is able to gain control over the senses, refrain from outward sense objects, and thus prepare oneself for liberation in the Supreme. This yoga process helps one become free from all kinds of fear and anger and thus feel the presence of the Supersoul in the transcendental situation. In other words, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the easiest process of executing yoga principles. This will be thoroughly explained in the next chapter. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, however, being always engaged in devotional service, does not risk losing his senses to some other engagement. This is a better way of controlling the senses than by aṣṭāṅga-yoga.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

And then the last Section, Text 29, which explains the 'peace formula' since Arjuna, in the battlefield, is looking for some kind of peace. And this 'peace formula' is attained only on the platform of liberation, by focusing one's consciousness on the Supreme.

[ F . FORMULA FOR PEACE ON THE PLATFORM OF LIBERATION (5. 29) A person in full consciousness of Krsna, who knows Krsna as the supreme controller, and benefactor and well‑wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material desires.]

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

COMMON THEME: Introduction to astanga-yoga

People generally identify spirituality with inaction. They think sitting somewhere in forest is more spiritual than working in Karma-yoga. Lord Krishna makes the point that there is no difference between karma-yoga and astanga-yoga
Krishna tells how one may achieve same Supersoul realization through astanga-yoga (A preview to Chapter 6)
Also when one is thus purified in vision and activities by niskama-karma-yoga, only then one can begin and make advancement in astanga-yoga
SECTION VI (5.29)
PEACE ON THE PLATFORM OF LIBERATION

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION VI

Fear is an uncertainty about the future and how the future may threaten one’s attachments, but one who is in Krishna consciousness is free from fear
He understands that Krishna is the Supreme controller and is benevolent. This confidence brings fearlessness
He is not attached to any material situation. His only concern is devotional service, which cannot be threatened by any material situation. Thus he is not fearful due to attachment
Individual attempts at world peace are impossible without first recognizing the real centre of existence by which all people can recognize their brotherhood. That centre is Sri Krishna
Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam – People fight over things they want to enjoy, but a wise person knows that Krishna is the only real enjoyer
Sarva-loka-mahesvaram – People fight to control land but Krishna is the only true owner for all properties and the common ruler of all rulers
Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam – A Krishna conscious person does not divide enemies from friends because he knows that Krishna is the friend of all living beings
Focus of Learning

(a) Krishna consciousness as “Transcendental position of liberation in the supreme” which includes

the following realizations:

One can immediately understand one’s spiritual position
One can understand the Supreme Lord by devotional service
One is qualified to feel the presence of the Lord everywhere

(b) Astanga-yoga helps by eight-fold means in following ways:

Becoming free from all fear, desire and anger
Control the senses, mind and intelligence
Feel the presence of Supersoul in transcendental situation

(c) What are the eight steps of astanga-yoga – yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara,

dharana, dhyana and Samadhi

(d) Krishna Consciousness as the easiest form of yoga – Krishna conscious person, being always

engaged in devotional service, does not risk losing his senses to some other engagement. Thus it is

a better way of controlling the senses than astanga-yoga

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
5.27 Krtva, keeping; bahyan, the external; sparsan, objects-sound etc.; bahih, outside: To one who does not pay attention to the external objects like sound etc., brought to the intellect through the ear etc., the objects become verily kept outside. Having kept them out in this way, and (keeping) the caksuh, eyes; antare, at the juncture; bhruvoh, of the eye-brows (-the word 'keeping' has to be supplied-); and similarly, samau krtva, making eal; prana-apanau, the outgoing and the incoming breaths; nasa-abhyantara-carinau, that move through the nostrils; munih, the contemplative-derived (from the root man) in the sense of contemplating-, the monk; yata-indriya-mano-buddhih, who has control over his organs, mind and intellect; should be moksa-para-yanah, fully intent on Liberation-keeping his body is such a posture, the contemplative should have Liberation itself as the supreme Goal. He should be vigata-iccha-bhaya-krodhah, free from desire, fear and anger. The monk yah, who; sada, ever remains thus; sah, he; is muktah yah, who;sada, ever remains thus; sah, he; is muktah, ever, verily free. He has no other Liberation to seek after. What is there to be realized by one who has his mind thus concentrated? The answer this is beig stated:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
5.27 - 5.28 'Shutting off all contact with outside objects,' i.e., stopping the outward functioning of the senses; seated with his trunk straightened in a posture fit for meditation (Yoga); 'fixing the gaze between the eye-brows,' i.e., at the root of the nose where the eye-brows meet; 'ealising inward and outward breaths,' i.e., making exhalatory and inhalatory breath move eally: making the senses, Manas and intellect no longer capable of anything except the vision of the self, conseently being free from 'desire, fear and wrath'; 'who is intent on release as his final goal,' i.e., having release as his only aim - the sage who is thus intent on the vision of the self 'is indeed liberated for ever,' i.e., he is almost a liberated person, as he would soon be in the ultimate stage of fruition. Sri Krsna now says that Karma Yoga, described above, which is facilitated by the performance of obligatory and occasional rites and which culminates in meditation (Yoga), is easy to practise:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
5.27 See Comment under 5.28
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
5.27 Shutting out (all) external contacts and fixing the gaze between the eyrow, ealising the outgoing and incoming breaths moving within the nostrils.
Commentary

5.27 स्पर्शान् contacts? कृत्वा बहिः shutting out? बाह्यान् external? चक्षुः eye (gaze)? च and? एव even? अन्तरे in the middle? भ्रुवोः of the (two) eyrows? प्राणापानौ the outgoing and incoming breaths? समौ eal? कृत्वा having made? नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ moving inside the nostrils.Commentary The verses 27 and 28 deal with the Yoga of meditation (Dhyana). External objects or contacts are the sound and the other senseobjects. If the mind does not think of the external objects they are shut out from the mind. The senses are the doors or avenues through which sound and the other senseobjects enter the mind.If you fix the gaze between the eyrows the eyalls remain fixed and steady. Rhythmical breathing is described here. You will have to make the breath rhythmical. The mind becomes steady when the breath becomes rhythmical. When the breath becomes rhythmical there is perfect harmony in the mind and the whole system. (Cf.VI.10?14VIII.10)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
5.27-5.28 Keeping the external objects outside, the eyes at the juncture of the eye-brows, and making eal the outgoing and incoming breaths that move through the nostrils, the contemplative who has control over his organs, mind and intellect should be fully intent on Liberation and free from desire, fear and anger. He who is ever is verily free.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
5.27 Excluding external objects, his gaze fixed between the eyebrows, the inward and outward breathings passing equally through his nostrils;
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 6.13 BG 6.25 BG 8.10 SB 2.2.19 SB 2.2.21 SB 3.28.11 CC Madhya 24.150 CC Madhya 22.104 CC Madhya 19.170 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 2.8Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.3.10
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Closing out external sense objects, fixing vision between the eyebrows, equalizing breath — the meditator free from desire, fear, and anger is forever liberated.
Practical Applications
  • If you take up formal meditation, do so under guidance — these techniques have specific contexts.
  • Honor the discipline of fixed posture and breath.
  • Don't dabble in subtle practices casually.
Reflection Questions
  • What formal practice fits my tradition and capacity?
  • Where is dabbling substituting for guided practice?
Analogy

An archer fixes his gaze, equalizes his breath, draws the bow with single attention, and the arrow flies true. The Gītā's meditator does the same with his own life: external objects sealed out, vision fixed between the brows, breath equalized, mind drawn back. The released arrow is the soul reaching liberation. Every element of the discipline is the archer's discipline.

Stories
Viśvāmitra's long austerity

Viśvāmitra, originally a kṣatriya king, undertook one of the longest meditative austerities recorded in the Itihāsas. He sat by the river fixed in posture for thousands of years — eyes turned inward, breath suspended, mind withdrawn from external sense-objects. The texts describe ants building hills around his motionless body.

Indra repeatedly tested him with celestial pleasures and provocations. At first he was disturbed — anger and desire would crest in him. Over time he established the discipline of this very verse: bāhya-sparśas sealed out, prāṇa-apāna equalized, indriya-manas-buddhi mastered.

He eventually attained the status of brahmarṣi. His success was the verse's procedure carried out for the long stretch most yogīs lack the patience for. The Gītā names the technique that Viśvāmitra spent millennia perfecting.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 5