Chapter 5, Verse 17 (Bhagavad Gita 5.17)
Chapter 5: Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Renunciation
Sanskrit Shloka
तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः। गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः
Transliteration
tad-buddhayas tad-ātmānas tan-niṣhṭhās tat-parāyaṇāḥ gachchhantyapunar-āvṛittiṁ jñāna-nirdhūta-kalmaṣhāḥ
Word Meanings
tat-buddhayaḥ—those whose intellect is directed toward God; tat-ātmānaḥ—those whose heart (mind and intellect) is solely absorbed in God; tat-niṣhṭhāḥ—those whose intellect has firm faith in God; tat-parāyaṇāḥ—those who strive after God as the supreme goal and refuge; gachchhanti—go; apunaḥ-āvṛittim—not returning; jñāna—by knowledge; nirdhūta—dispelled; kalmaṣhāḥ—sins
Translation
Those whose intellect is absorbed in That, whose self is identified with That, who are steadfast in That, and for whom That is the supreme goal, they attain the state of no return, their sins cleansed by the power of knowledge.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse describes the state of complete spiritual integration where the seeker's consciousness is no longer fractured by duality. By anchoring the intellect and identity in the Ultimate Reality, the practitioner dissolves the ego-driven desires that perpetuate the cycle of birth and death. The 'cleansing of sins' through knowledge suggests that ignorance is the primary impurity, and once truth is realized, the karmic burdens naturally fall away. Practically, this teaches that ultimate peace is found by making the Divine the singular focus of one's life, leading to an unshakable state of liberation. It is a transition from living as a fragmented individual to living as an expression of the eternal Whole.