कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम्। अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम्।।5.26।।
kāmakrodhaviyuktānāṁ yātīnāṁ yatacetasām | abhito brahma‑nirvāṇaṁ vartate vidita‑ātmānām ||5.26||
Translation
For those who are free from desire and anger, who are saintly and whose mind is steady, liberation in Brahman is assured and dwells both now and beyond, for the self‑realized souls.
Word Meanings
kāma — desire; krodha — anger; viyuktānāṁ — of those liberated; yātīnāṁ — of the saintly; yatacetasām — of those whose mind is controlled; abhito — assured (in the near future); brahma‑nirvāṇaṁ — supreme liberation; vartate — abides/exists; vidita‑ātmānām — of those who have realized the Self
Understanding the Verse
In this verse, Lord Krishna describes the ultimate state of the spiritually advanced. The opening compound kāmakrodhaviyuktānāṁ combines two of the most powerful human passions – desire (kāma) and anger (krodha) – and declares their complete removal. This is not a casual reduction of lust or temper, but a profound inner purification that arises only after sustained disciplined effort (yoga) and divine grace. The Sanskrit word "viyuktānāṁ" signifies being utterly separated, implying that these forces no longer have any foothold in the aspirant's heart.
The next qualifier, yātīnāṁ, denotes the "saintly" or "ascetic" persons, those who have taken up a path of renunciation (sannyāsa) or deep devotion (bhakti) and who live in accordance with dharma. They are not merely abstinent; they are imbued with a serene inner confidence that stems from a steady mind. The phrase "yatacetasām" (those whose mind is controlled) reinforces this point: the mind, which is ordinarily restless and the source of illusion, has been mastered through practices such as meditation, self‑inquiry, and ethical conduct. When the mind no longer roams in the realm of fleeting cravings, the soul can recognize its true nature.
The word "abhito" means "certainly" or "assuredly". Krishna assures the seeker that the result of this inner transformation is not a distant, speculative hope but a definite reality. The promised goal, "brahma‑nirvāṇaṁ", is the highest liberation – the complete merging of the individual consciousness with Brahman, the ultimate, all‑pervading reality. In the Gita, nirvāṇa is not a state of annihilation but of perfect fullness, where ignorance (avidyā) is eradicated and one abides in infinite bliss and knowledge.
The verb "vartate" (abides) indicates that this state is already present for the self‑realized. It is not merely a future promise; it is an ever‑present truth that the realized being experiences in every moment, even while living in the world. Finally, "vidita‑ātmānām" (of those who have realized the Self) closes the verse with a reference to the ultimate knower – the soul that has recognized its identity as non‑separate from Brahman. Such persons see no distinction between themselves and the absolute, and thus they remain untouched by birth, death, and all worldly suffering.
Krishna's message in 5.26 is therefore both an inspiring guarantee and a practical roadmap. By eliminating desire and anger, cultivating saintliness, and mastering the mind, the seeker obtains assured, immediate, and everlasting liberation. This verse reinforces the Gita's broader teaching that true freedom is an inner state, attainable through disciplined practice, sincere devotion, and the grace of the divine.
