तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणा: |
गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषा: || 17||
tad-buddhayas tad-ātmānas tan-niṣhṭhās tat-parāyaṇāḥ
gachchhantyapunar-āvṛittiṁ jñāna-nirdhūta-kalmaṣhāḥ
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 for God as the supreme goal and refuge; gachchhanti—go; apunaḥ-āvṛittim—not returning; jñāna—by knowledge; nirdhūta—dispelled; kalmaṣhāḥ—sins
Translation:
With their intellect absorbed in That, their Self being That, established in that, they go from whence there is no return and their sins are dispelled by knowledge.
Commentary:
The realisation of Brahman being the final goal of all spiritual practices, what is the duty of the aspirant? He should think of that at all times, he should merge himself in That, he should be firmly rooted in That, and he should have no other thing except That as the sole refuge and aim. Such a man alone can realise Brahman. It is a psychological truth that man becomes That which he contemplates. By ignorance, man is contemplating samsara, and so he is bound by it by the effect of his own absorption in it. Now the sadhana should be made in the opposite direction. Mind should contemplate the Supreme Reality, the freedom of the self, and if this is done constantly till the whole personality is filled with that, then the Atma becomes manifest as the Reality in man. It is true that the mind cannot all of a sudden become absorbed in That. The mind oscillates between the objective world on the one side, and Atma on the other. But constant, unremitting and intense practice will fix the direction of the mind towards Atma. All great men have gone through this practice. They have concentrated all their energies in Atma, and dedicated their whole being to That. And thus they have realised the Supreme.
To the birthless and deathless state: ‘Punaravritti‘ means taking birth again and becoming bound by samsara. Birthlessness (apunaravrtitti) is the state of final emancipation.
Sins dispelled by Knowledge: Who shall attain that state? Those who are free from sin and evil, free from ignorance and delusion, attain that state. How can sin be destroyed? By the Knowledge of Atma. So long as there is the least trace of evil, the light is not revealed. So the enveloping darkness of evil should be shattered by Knowledge. Constant thought and meditation on Atma bring spiritual knowledge to man.
Is it not true that the man engaged in worldly pursuits, attains success by the concentration of all his energies on that object which he desires to acquire? Day and night, the wealthy are adding to their possessions. Most people spend their whole life and energy acquiring lands, houses, positions, name and fame. They come to possess these things by the very force of their efforts. And yet they still live in a state of fear, and suffer terrible torture of the mind. If they can turn their interest and energy towards the spiritual quest, they can easily acquire that Knowledge by which they can ever afterwards live a life of fearlessness, joy, and perfect freedom. Atma-Jnana is the greatest acquisition for a human being, because by it he transcends all the fears and sorrows of life, and lives in restful peace, bliss and blessedness.
Question: What is Moksha?
Answer: It is the birthless and deathless state of the highest bliss.
Question: Who can acquire it?
Answer: The man who is free from sin and evil can acquire it.
Question: How is evil destroyed?
Answer: Evil is dispelled by Knowledge.
Question: How is Knowledge acquired?
Answer: By thinking of That, by merging in That, by taking refuge in That, by having That as his supreme goal, man acquires Atma-Jnana.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 5 🔻 (29 Verses)
