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Chapter 15 · The Yoga of the Supreme Person · 20 verses

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Remember who is speaking. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Take the verse as He directs.
  2. 2Say the verse and its words. Read the Sanskrit, then each word with its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation as it is. Let the translation say what it says, without adding your own meaning.
  4. 4Read the purport. Hear the verse through the disciplic succession.
  5. 5Bring your own question. Ask: where does this verse meet my life, my trouble, my doubt?
  6. 6Act on it, remembering Kṛṣṇa. Carry one instruction into your work today.
Read the full guide: how to read the Bhagavad-gītā ›
Character & ethicsChapter 15 · The Yoga of the Supreme Person
15.415.6

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 15.5

Detachment and freedom from false prestige

Jīva · The soul

निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा

अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामा: ।

द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ता: सुखदु:खसंज्ञै-

र्गच्छन्त्यमूढा: पदमव्ययं तत् ॥ ५ ॥

nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣā

adhyātma-nityā vinivṛtta-kāmāḥ

dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-saṁjñair

gacchanty amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṁ tat

Translation

Those who are free from false prestige, illusion and false association, who understand the eternal, who are done with material lust, who are freed from the dualities of happiness and distress, and who, unbewildered, know how to surrender unto the Supreme Person attain to that eternal kingdom.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

3 study points

Freedom from Pride and Surrender

  1. 1

    Those free from pride, illusion, false association, material lust, and the dualities of happiness and distress, who understand the eternal and surrender to the Supreme Person, attain His eternal kingdom.

  2. 2

    Prabhupāda explains that pride blocks surrender. Real knowledge means understanding that the Supreme Person, not we, is the Lord of material nature.

  3. 3

    Give up expecting honor and learn what is truly yours and what is not. This knowledge helps you surrender to the Supreme Person.

Key points from the purport

The surrendering process is explained here

explained in six points

a

Free from false prestige or pride — The first qualification

Conditioned soul is puffed up – Thinks himself to be the Lord (always expecting some honor), this makes it difficult for him to surrender

Solution – Cultivate knowledge to know that I am not the Lord but Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Lord

Freedom from pride begins the process of surrender

b

Freedom from illusion — Pride is due to illusion

Illusion means one comes and goes from this world but still thinks to be the Lord and the proprietor

Thus makes things complicated and is always in trouble

The entire world is under this false impression of “created divisions of false proprietorship” (land, earth etc)

c

Freedom from false associations

Possible when one is free from false proprietorship

“False associations” are caused by familial, social, national affection

d

Understand the eternal — One should develop spiritual knowledge

Cultivate knowledge of what is actually his own and what is not

It leads to freedom from conceptions of duality

e

Freedom from dualities

f

Done with material lust and unbewildered

Unbewildered – When one becomes full in knowledge, it is possible to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead

g

Further reading

Becoming Detached From The Material World

One should detach himself from the material world

Material world is a reflection of spiritual world

One should surrender to Krishna and attain spiritual world

Chapter 15, section I: Becoming Detached From The Material World
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. niḥwithout
  2. mānafalse prestige
  3. mohāḥand illusion
  4. jitahaving conquered
  5. saṅgaof association
  6. doṣāḥthe faults
  7. adhyātmain spiritual knowledge
  8. nityāḥin eternity
3

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: daivī-sampat, dharma.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 15.5 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to character & ethics?

Practice

Choose one virtue to practice consciously today.

5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 12.13Qualities of a devotee dear to KrishnaBG 16.21Lust, anger and greed lead toward degradation.
Live this todayDetachment Through Surrender to KṛṣṇaA practice from BG 15.3-4, close to this verse

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

  1. Learn
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