निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः।द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञै र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्।।15.5।।
niḥmāna‑mohāḥ jita‑saṅga‑doṣāḥ adhyātma‑nityaḥ vinivṛtta‑kāmāḥ dvandvaiḥ vimuktāḥ sukha‑duḥkha‑saṃjñaiḥ gacchanti mūḍhāḥ padam avyayam tat
Translation
He who is free from false prestige and delusion, who has conquered the fault of attachment, who dwells constantly in spiritual knowledge, who has renounced desire, who is liberated from dualities, beyond the identification of pleasure and pain, those who go forth unbewildered attain the imperishable abode that is My eternal nature.
Word Meanings
niḥ — without; māna — false prestige; moḥaḥ — delusion; jita — having conquered; saṅga — attachment; doṣāḥ — faults; adhyātma — spiritual knowledge; nityaḥ — eternal; vinivṛtta — renounced; kāmāḥ — desire; dvandvaiḥ — dualities; vimuktāḥ — liberated; sukha‑duḥkha — pleasure and pain; saṃjñaiḥ — named; gacchanti — attain; mūḍhāḥ — bewildered; padam — abode; avyayam — imperishable; tat — that.
Understanding the Verse
The fifteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita presents the cosmic tree of life and the ultimate reality that underlies the material world. Verse 5 focuses on the qualities of those who can reach the supreme abode, the divine realm that is beyond the temporary cycles of birth and death. The opening pair of terms, niḥ‑māna and moḥaḥ, denote the removal of false prestige (the ego‑driven desire for status) and the dissolution of illusion. In the spiritual context, ‘false prestige’ is the self‑identification with worldly accomplishments, which binds the mind to the material realm. By transcending this, a seeker eliminates the first major obstacle to self‑realization.
The next attribute, jita‑saṅga‑doṣāḥ, emphasizes the conquest over saṅga, the attachment to people, objects, and outcomes. Doṣāḥ (faults) refers to the moral and psychological blemishes that arise from such attachments. When these are mastered, the heart becomes steady, no longer swayed by the ever‑changing external circumstances. This steady heart is essential for the practice of adhyātma‑nityaḥ, the constant contemplation of the self and the divine. ‘Constantly dwelling on the self’ does not imply selfishness; rather, it signifies a profound awareness of one's true nature as the atman, which is identical with the paramātman (Supreme Self).
The verse then mentions vinivṛtta‑kāmāḥ, those who have disassociated from desire. Desire (kāma) is the engine that drives the cycle of action and reaction (karma), perpetuating rebirth. By relinquishing such cravings, the yogi reduces the accumulation of karmic residues and creates a mental environment conducive to inner peace. The subsequent phrase dvandvaiḥ vimuktāḥ describes liberation from the dualities of pleasure and pain (sukha‑duḥkha). Duality is the root of suffering; when the mind perceives experiences as either desirable or undesirable, it remains trapped in a cycle of attachment and aversion. Liberation from this binary perception allows the soul to see the underlying unity of existence.
Finally, the verse concludes with gacchanti mūḍhāḥ padam avyayam tat. ‘Those who are unbewildered (mūḍhāḥ) go forth to the imperishable (avyayam) abode (padam) that is that (tat)’. The term mūḍhāḥ here is used in a positive sense – those who have dispelled ignorance and are no longer deluded. The “imperishable abode” refers to the eternal, unchanging reality of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is beyond time, space, and causation. In reaching this state, the seeker experiences the ultimate goal of yoga: kaivalya, the absolute freedom from all material limitations.
In practical terms, this verse offers a roadmap for spiritual aspirants. It calls for the systematic removal of ego, attachment, and desire, coupled with unwavering meditation on the self. By cultivating these qualities, a person becomes capable of transcending the emotional pendulum of pleasure and pain, thereby attaining the timeless abode of the Divine. This process is not instantaneous; it requires disciplined practice (sādhana), ethical conduct (yama‑niyama), and divine grace. When these elements align, the soul merges with the supreme consciousness, achieving the ultimate peace and bliss described throughout the Gita.
