यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायणः। विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो यः सदा मुक्त एव सः।।5.28।।
yatendriyam anobuddhir muni mokṣaparāyaṇaḥ | vigate icchābhaya krodho yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ
Translation
He who has mastery over the senses, mind and intellect, the sage devoted to liberation, free from desire, fear and anger, is always truly liberated.
Word Meanings
यत् — having mastery over; इन्द्रिय — senses; मनः — mind; बुद्धिः — intellect; मुनिः — sage; मोक्षपरायणः — devoted to liberation; विगत — free from; इच्छा — desire; अभय — fearlessness; क्रोधः — anger; यः — who; सदा — always; मुक्त — liberated; एव — indeed; सः — he
Understanding the Verse
The verse describes the qualities of a true yogi who has attained the highest spiritual state.
The opening compound यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिः signifies a person who has conquered the three primary instruments of perception – the senses (indriya), the mind (manas) and the intellect (buddhi). This conquest is not a mere suppression; rather, it is a transformation whereby the senses serve the soul, the mind is steadied, and the intellect is aligned with the divine purpose.
The term मुनिः (muniḥ) denotes a sage, one who has realized the self through deep contemplation and has transcended ordinary worldly concerns. Such a sage is described as मोक्षपरायणः – completely oriented toward moksha, the ultimate liberation from the cycle of birth and death. This devotion is not occasional; it is the guiding principle of his existence.
विगतेच्छा‑भय‑क्रोधः adds three further dimensions of renunciation. विगते (vigata) means ‘gone beyond’ or ‘free from’. इच्छा (icchā) refers to desire, the root of attachment; अभय (abhaya) means fearlessness, indicating freedom from anxiety about loss or death; क्रोध (krodha) denotes anger, a powerful disruptive emotion. The yogi has eradicated these three poisons, thereby attaining inner equanimity.
The concluding clause यः सदा मुक्त एव सः underscores the permanence of this state. ‘He who is always liberated indeed’ captures the notion that liberation is not a fleeting experience but a permanent, self‑realized condition. The word सदा (sadā) stresses the uninterrupted nature of this freedom, while एव (eva) lends emphasis, confirming that such a person is, in essence, beyond all bondage.
In the broader context of Chapter 5, which contrasts the path of renunciation (vairagya) with the path of action (karma‑yoga), this verse illustrates the pinnacle of renunciation: a state where external action becomes irrelevant because the practitioner’s inner disposition has already achieved perfect detachment. The yogi’s conduct is naturally aligned with dharma, but it is driven by the knowledge of the Self rather than by personal gain. Thus, the verse serves both as a description of a realized soul and as an aspirational model for seekers who aim to transcend desire, fear, and anger on the path to lasting liberation.
