Shloka 22
Nirmaryāda-saṃgrāma-varṇana — The Unbounded Clash and Bhīṣma’s Rallying Presence
एतैरविंमुक्त: कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नर: | आचरत्यात्मन: श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम्,हे अर्जुन! इन तीनों नरकके द्वारोंसे मुक्त पुरुष अपने कल्याणका आचरण करता है,* इससे वह परमगतिको जाता है अर्थात् मुझको प्राप्त हो जाता है
etair avimuktaḥ kaunteya tamodvārais tribhir naraḥ | ācaraty ātmanaḥ śreyas tato yāti parāṃ gatim ||
O son of Kuntī, a person freed from these three gates of darkness practices what truly leads to one’s own welfare; from that, one attains the highest goal—reaching the supreme state.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Freedom from the three ‘gates of darkness’ is essential for genuine well-being (śreyas). When one avoids these downward-leading impulses and lives accordingly, one progresses toward the highest spiritual end (parā gati).
In the instruction on right conduct and inner discipline, the speaker addresses Arjuna (Kaunteya) and states that a person who is not trapped by the three destructive gateways of ignorance can pursue true welfare and thereby attain the supreme goal.