Bhagavad Gita · Karma Sannyasa YogaChapter 5, Shloka 7 (5.7)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
योगयुक्तो विशुद्धात्मा विजितात्मा जितेन्द्रियः
सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते
॥ 5.7 ॥
yogayukto viśuddhātmā vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ
sarvabhūtātmabhūtātmā kurvannapi na lipyate
Translation
"One steadfast in yoga, pure in mind, self-conquered, master of the senses, and who regards the self of all beings as their own self — such a person is not tainted even while acting."
Interpretation
Four steps. Yoga → pure mind → mastery of mind and body → mastery of the senses → sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā.
"Sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā" — two readings.
- Shankaracharya: sarveṣāṃ brahmādīnāṃ stamba-paryantānāṃ bhūtānām ātma-bhūtaḥ ātmā pratyak-cetano yasya — one whose inner conscious self is the very self of all beings, from Brahma down to a blade of grass — samyag-darśī (seeing non-difference). Such a person loka-saṅgrahāya karma kurvann api na lipyate.
- Acharya Ramanuja: in karma yoga the mind becomes pure; because the mind engages in the actions one is used to, it is easily conquered; then one masters the senses, and kartuḥ ātmano yāthātmyānusandhāna-niṣṭhatayā — through contemplating the true nature of the self that acts — becomes sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā: because, once distinguished from prakriti, devādīnāṃ svasya ca ekākāra ātmā — the self of the gods and others and one's own self are of one form (alike); the differences of god, human and so on are products of prakriti, not of the self (5.19 nirdoṣaṃ hi samaṃ brahma). Such a person anātmani ātmābhimānena na lipyate — is not bound by identifying the self with the non-self (the body), and acireṇa ātmānam āpnoti.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.