Chapter 5: Karma Sanyasa Yoga, verse 21
बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम्।
स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते ॥
Say itbāhya-sparśheṣhvasaktātmā vindatyātmani yat sukham
sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣhayam aśhnute
Translation
With the self unattached to external contacts, he finds happiness in the Self; with the self engaged in the meditation of Brahman, he attains endless happiness.
Swami Sivananda
With 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.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
He 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.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
The enjoyments that arise from contact [with objects] are nothing but sources of misery, having both a beginning and an end. Therefore, an intelligent person does not take delight in them, O son of Kunti!
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
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.
Shri Purohit Swami
बाह्यस्पर्शमें आसक्तिरहित अन्तःकरणवाला साधक आत्मामें जो सुख है, उसको प्राप्त होता है। फिर वह ब्रह्ममें अभिन्नभावसे स्थित मनुष्य अक्षय सुखका अनुभव करता है।
Swami Ramsukhdas
बाह्य विषयों में आसक्तिरहित अन्त:करण वाला पुरुष आत्मा में ही सुख प्राप्त करता है; ब्रह्म के ध्यान में समाहित चित्त वाला पुरुष अक्षय सुख प्राप्त करता है।
Swami Tejomayananda
Classical commentariesFor deeper study. Most are in the original Sanskrit.
Advaita
Non-dual: the self and the absolute are one.
Vishishtadvaita
Qualified non-dual: souls are real parts of the divine.
Dvaita
Dual: the soul and God are eternally distinct.
Shuddhadvaita
Pure non-dual, centred on grace and devotion.
Kashmir Shaivism
The Gita read through Trika Shaiva philosophy.
Modern teachers
20th-century teachers writing for today's readers.
Verse map
How this verse connects to feelings, situations, ideas and other verses. Hover or tap to see why; these links are drafts awaiting review.
Speaks to
काम CravingHelps when
I can't stop wanting moreIdeas
ब्रह्मन् brahman