लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषय: क्षीणकल्मषा: |
छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मान: सर्वभूतहिते रता: || 25||
labhante brahma-nirvāṇam ṛiṣhayaḥ kṣhīṇa-kalmaṣhāḥ
chhinna-dvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
labhante—achieve; brahma-nirvāṇam—liberation from material existence; ṛiṣhayaḥ—holy persons; kṣhīṇa-kalmaṣhāḥ—whose sins have been purged; chhinna—annihilated; dvaidhāḥ—doubts; yata-ātmānaḥ—whose minds are disciplined; sarva-bhūta—for all living entities; hite—in welfare work; ratāḥ—rejoice
Translation:
Sages whose sins are destroyed, whose dualities are torn asunder, who are self-controlled, who rejoice in the well-being of others, attain union with Brahman (Moksha).
Commentary:
Who is a Rishi? One who has mastered the senses and mind, who is established in Atma is a Rishi. It is a position, a title, that anyone can acquire by tapas. It is something like a degree which young students acquire after going through a particular course of study. So, anyone endowed with character and singleness of purpose can obtain the title of a Rishi. No one is precluded from making the attempt. The ignorant man of today may become the sage of the future. Constant sadhana transforms the common human being into a sage of wisdom, world-honoured and one with God Himself. (Brahmavit Brahmaiva bhavati). Four characteristics of the sage are mentioned here.
Whose sins are destroyed: In the course of innumerable births man may have committed a number of sins prohibited by the Sastras, e.g. – theft, drunkenness, adultery, murder etc. So the mind is full of impurities. These should be destroyed by Nishkama Karma, devotion and Knowledge. Then the very sinner becomes a sage.
Whose dualities are torn asunder: The illusion of manifoldness should be transcended by the perception of unity in all things. All doubts would be cleared when the Reality is seen as it is.
Self-controlled: The Rishi has mastered all impulses and powers of the body, mind and intellect. Perfect self-control is the only way to Self-realisation.
Rejoicing in the welfare of all beings: What is the effect of Brahma Jnana? – universal love. Knowledge in action is love. The sage knows that there is only one Supreme Self, and that is manifesting as the many. The same Self that is in him is also in everything. When one realises this truth, what will be his attitude towards other beings? – Love for all. He cannot injure others, he cannot be jealous of others. He has no fear of anything. The ‘others’ do not exist for him, because he has perceived the unity of all beings, and he is himself the all. The test of man’s wisdom is here. He is full of compassion. His heart overflows with pity. When the sage moves in the world, the one attribute of the purified heart would be love. God is worshipped not only as the All-powerful but as the All-merciful. God is love. Great sages have preached and practised universal love as the highest law for humanity.
Question: Who can attain Moksha?
Answer: Those whose sins are destroyed, whose doubts and dualities are cleared, who have self-mastery and universal love attain Moksha.
Question: Who is a Rishi?
Answer: One who possesses the above-mentioned qualities is a Rishi.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 5 🔻 (29 Verses)
