Karma Sanyasa Yoga · Verse 17

Bhagavad Gita 5.17

Complete alignment with the supreme reality ends the cycle of return.

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः ।
गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
जिनकी बुद्धि तदाकार हो रही है, जिनका मन तदाकार हो रहा है, जिनकी स्थिति परमात्मतत्वमें है, ऐसे परमात्मपरायण साधक ज्ञानके द्वारा पापरहित होकर अपुनरावृत्ति परमगति को प्राप्त होते हैं ॥
English
Those whose intellect is fixed in That, whose mind is That, who are established in That, and who are devoted to That, go to the state of no return, their impurities washed away by knowledge.

What this verse means

When a person's mind, intellect, and whole focus are fully aligned with the supreme reality, knowledge clears away impurity and they reach a state beyond coming back.

Context & commentary

On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna is still frozen while Krishna explains the path beyond action and error. After saying knowledge burns away ignorance, Krishna adds that the fully aligned seeker reaches a state beyond return.

Why this verse still matters

You sit in the car after the hardest conversation of your life, hands still shaking. Something in you has already chosen, and the old version of you cannot drive home with you.

The takeaway

There is relief in total alignment: the mind stops scattering, and the deepest burden finally drops away.

Word-by-word translation

तद्बुद्धयः (whose intellect is That) / तदात्मानः (whose mind is That) / तन्निष्ठाः (steadfast in That) / तत्परायणाः (devoted to That as the supreme goal) / गच्छन्ति (they go) / अपुनरावृत्तिम् (to no return) / ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः (their impurities washed away by knowledge)

Explore related themes: moksha (34 verses), jnana (24 verses)

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