Bhagavad Gita — Karma Sannyasa Yoga, Shloka 16

Karma Sannyasa Yoga

Devanagari script

तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणा: । गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषा: ॥ ५.१७ ॥

Transliteration

tad-buddhayas tad-ātmānas tan-niṣṭhās tat-parāyaṇāḥ | gacchanty apunarāvṛttiṃ jñāna-nirdhūta-kalmaṣāḥ || 5.17 ||

Translation

Aquellos cuya inteligencia está en Eso, cuyo ser está en Eso, firmes en Eso, que toman Eso como supremo refugio: purificados de toda mancha por el conocimiento, alcanzan el estado sin retorno (al ciclo de renacimientos).

Gita Press Meaning

जिनकी बुद्धि उस (परम) में है, जिनका मन उस (परम) में है, जो उसी में निष्ठा रखने वाले हैं, जो उसी को परम लक्ष्य मानने वाले हैं—वे ज्ञान से पापरहित होकर अपुनरावृत्ति (पुनर्जन्म-रहित अवस्था) को प्राप्त होते हैं।

Critical Edition Meaning

Those whose intellect is set on That, whose self is oriented to That, who are established in That, who take That as the supreme refuge/goal—having their impurities shaken off by knowledge—go to non-return.

Comparative Note

“Apunarāvṛtti” is commonly interpreted as liberation (mokṣa) understood as no return to cyclical rebirth, though some theistic readings nuance it as reaching the Lord’s state/abode. “Kalmaṣa” can mean moral-psychic impurities broadly; the verse emphasizes knowledge as the purifier in continuity with 5.16.

Word by Word

• तद्बुद्धयः: those whose intellect is fixed on That (Brahman)
• तद्बुद्धयः: Karta
• Root: तद् + बुद्धि

• तदात्मानः: those whose self is That (identified with Brahman)
• तदात्मानः: Karta
• Root: तद् + आत्मन्

• तन्निष्ठाः: those steadfast in That
• तन्निष्ठाः: Karta
• Root: तद् + निष्ठा

• तत्परायणाः: those for whom That is the supreme refuge/goal
• तत्परायणाः: Karta
• Root: तद् + परायण

• गच्छन्ति: they go/attain
• Root: √गम्

• अपुनरावृत्तिम्: non-return (no rebirth)
• अपुनरावृत्तिम्: Karma
• Root: अपुनरावृत्ति

• ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः: those whose impurities (sins) are washed away by knowledge
• ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः: Karta
• Root: ज्ञान + निर्धूत + कल्मष

Speakers

• Krishna

Primary Concepts

• Mokṣa (liberation)
• Apunarāvṛtti (non-return)
• Niṣṭhā (steadfastness)
• Jñāna (knowledge)
• Kalmaṣa (impurity)

Key Themes

• Single-pointed orientation to the ultimate
• Liberation as non-return
• Purification through knowledge

FAQs

Psychological significance?

The verse describes deep value-integration: when cognition, identity, and commitment align around a highest principle, inner conflict diminishes and behavior becomes steadier.

Metaphysical meaning?

It presents liberation as the culmination of knowledge and steadfast orientation toward the ultimate reality (‘That’), with ‘non-return’ indicating release from repetitive existential cycles.

Contextual relevance?

This verse concludes the immediate sequence (5.15–5.17): ignorance causes delusion, knowledge removes ignorance, and sustained orientation to the ultimate leads to liberation.

Modern Application?

Clarify a ‘highest commitment’ (truthfulness, compassion, or contemplative insight) and align daily decisions with it; the text suggests that such alignment reduces fragmentation and regret.