Verse 25

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In plain words

Sages whose impurities are exhausted, whose doubts are cut, who are self-controlled and delight in the welfare of all beings, attain Brahma-nirvāṇa.

Word for word

The ṛṣis attain Brahma-nirvāṇa, their impurities worn away, their doubts cut, self-controlled, delighting in the welfare of all beings.

The commentators

Bhagavadgītābhāṣyam

किञ्च —

लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं मोक्षम् ऋषयः सम्यग्दर्शिनः संन्यासिनः क्षीणकल्मषाः क्षीणपापाः निर्दोषाः छिन्नद्वैधाः छिन्नसंशयाः यतात्मानः संयतेन्द्रियाः सर्वभूतहिते रताः सर्वेषां भूतानां हिते आनुकूल्ये रताः अहिंसका इत्यर्थः ॥ २५ ॥

In plain words

And there is more —

They reach brahmanirvāṇa — which is to say, liberation. The ṛṣis: those who see things as they are, who have laid everything down. Their taint worn away — meaning their sins are used up, and no fault is left in them. Their dividedness cut through — meaning their doubts are cut through. Their self held in — meaning their senses are held in. Devoted to the welfare of all beings — devoted to what is good for every being, what goes with them rather than against them; they harm no one. That is the sense of it.

Close to the Sanskrit

And what more —

They attain brahmanirvāṇa — liberation. The ṛṣis: those who see rightly, the renunciates. Those whose taint is worn away: those whose sins are worn away, the faultless. Those whose dividedness is cut through: those whose doubts are cut through. Those whose self is held in: those whose senses are restrained. Devoted to the welfare of all beings: devoted to the welfare — the favourableness — of all beings, that is, those who do no harm. Such is the meaning.