Bhagavad Gita · 18.53 · Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender·53 of 78
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम्।विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥
ahankāraṁ balaṁ darpaṁ kāmaṁ krodhaṁ parigraham
vimuchya nirmamaḥ śhānto brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
Sanskrit recitation
Toward inner perfection · 18.49–18.55 · Teaching
Translation
Having abandoned egoism, strength, arrogance, desire, anger, and covetousness, and being free from the notion of 'mine' and peaceful, he is fit for becoming Brahman.
Meaning
Egoism Identifying the Self with the body, etc. This is the error of mistaking the physical body for the pure immortal Self.Balam That strength which is combined or united with passion, desire and attachment, and not the physical or other strength. Physical strength is natural. It is not possible to abandon this physical strength.Darpam Arrogance, insolence, selfassertive Rajasic vehemence this follows the state of exaltion.,Man becomes arrogant when he possesses wealth or much learning. When he becomes arrogant he violates Dharma and does wicked deeds.The aspirant even abandons the things which are necessary for the bare maintenance of the body. He becomes a ParamahamsaParivrajaka, a wandering or itinerant ascetic. He has no attachment to his body. He knows that even the body does not belong to him.Santa Peaceful, tranil, serene.Such an aspirant who has devotion to Selfknowledge, and who is endowed with the above virtues is fit to become Brahman.
After Swami Sivananda
Toward inner perfection· 18.49–18.55→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 18.49He whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who has subdued his self, from whom desire has fled, he attains the supreme state of freedom from action through renunciation.
- 18.50Learn from Me, O Arjuna, in brief how one who has attained perfection reaches Brahman—the Eternal, that supreme state of knowledge.
- 18.51Endowed with a pure intellect, controlling the self through firmness, relinquishing sound and other objects and abandoning attraction and hatred.
- 18.52Dwelling in solitude, eating sparingly, with speech, body, and mind subdued, always engaged in meditation and concentration, and resorting to dispassion.
18.53Having abandoned egoism, strength, arrogance, desire, anger, and covetousness, and being free from the notion of 'mine' and peaceful, he is fit for becoming Brahman.
- 18.54Becoming Brahman, serene in the Self, he neither grieves nor desires; he is the same to all beings, and obtains supreme devotion to Me.
- 18.55By devotion, he knows Me in truth, who and what I am; then, having known Me in truth, he immediately enters into the Supreme.
Word-by-word→
- balam
- violence
- darpam
- arrogance
- kāmam
- desire
- kalpate
- is fit
- krodham
- anger
- vimuchya
- being freed from
- ahankāram
- egotism
- nirmamaḥ
- without possessiveness of property
- parigraham
- selfishness
- śhāntaḥ
- peaceful
- brahma-bhūyāya
- union with Brahman
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