Bhagavad-gītā 5.21
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बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम्। स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते।।5.21।।
bāhya-sparśheṣhvasaktātmā vindatyātmani yat sukham sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣhayam aśhnute
He finds happiness in his own Self and enjoys eternal bliss, whose heart does not yearn for the contacts of the earth and whose Self is one with the Everlasting.
English rendering by Shri Purohit Swami. Each source voice remains named.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| bāhya-sparśheṣhu | external sense pleasure |
| asakta-ātmā | those who are unattached |
| vindati | find |
| ātmani | in the self |
| yat | which |
| sukham | bliss |
| saḥ | that person |
| brahma-yoga yukta-ātmā | those who are united with God through yog |
| sukham | happiness |
| akṣhayam | unlimited |
| aśhnute | experiences |
When the mind is not attached to external objects of the senses, when one is deeply engaged in the contemplation of Brahman, he finds undecaying bliss in the Self within. If you want to enjoy the imperishable happiness of the Self within, you will have to withdraw the senses from their respective objects and plunge yourself in deep meditation on the Self within.
Attributed explanatory witness: Swami Sivananda. Chapter lens: Compare renunciation of work with renunciation of attachment and examine the chapter’s account of inner freedom.
Three named reading witnesses
Śaṅkara edition witness
Swami GambiranandaWith his heart unattached to external objects, he gets the bliss that is in the Self. With his heart absorbed in meditation on Brahman, he acquires undying Bliss.
Rāmānuja edition witness
Swami AdidevanandaHe whose mind is detached from external contact and finds happiness in the Self:he has his mind engaged in the contemplation of Brahman and enjoys undecaying bliss.
Sivananda commentary witness
Swami SivanandaWhen the mind is not attached to external objects of the senses, when one is deeply engaged in the contemplation of Brahman, he finds undecaying bliss in the Self within. If you want to enjoy the imperishable happiness of the Self within, you will have to withdraw the senses from their respective objects and plunge yourself in deep meditation on the Self within.
These are concise, attributed reading witnesses from identified editions. They are presented for comparison and are not merged into one anonymous interpretation.
Meaning map
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- 1
He finds happiness in his own Self and enjoys eternal bliss, whose heart does not yearn for the contacts of the earth and whose Self is one with the Everlasting
- 2
bāhya-sparśheṣhu: external sense pleasure
- 3
sukham: bliss
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