True liberation includes concern for all beings.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः |छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः ||५-२५||
labhante brahmanirvāṇamṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇakalmaṣāḥ . chinnadvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ ||5-25||
Use this verse when spirituality becomes self-centered.
Meaning
Sages whose impurities are destroyed, doubts cut off, minds disciplined, and who delight in the welfare of all beings attain Brahmanirvana.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Liberation is linked with purity, clarity, discipline, and welfare of all beings.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna connects inner liberation with universal goodwill. A person moving toward Brahmanirvana is not selfishly detached from others. They are purified, free from doubt, self-controlled, and engaged in the welfare of all beings.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna lists the qualities of the sages (rishis) who attain brahma-nirvana, the highest freedom. Their impurities are exhausted (kshina-kalmasha); their inner dualities are torn apart (chinna-dvaidha) — they no longer waver between conflicting pulls or perceive the world through divisive opposites; they are self-controlled (yata-atmanah); and, crucially, they delight in the welfare of all beings (sarva-bhuta-hite ratah).
This last quality is striking and important. The realized sage is not a self-absorbed recluse indifferent to the world. Having dissolved the ego's divisions and seen the one Self everywhere, compassion and active goodwill for all beings flow naturally.
Inner liberation and outer service are not opposed but joined: the one who is truly free spontaneously works for the good of all. Spiritual freedom, in the Gita's vision, blossoms into universal love.
In daily life
Let your spiritual growth increase your service and compassion.
A meditator who becomes kinder to family, animals, workers, and strangers is growing in the Gita’s direction.
Try this today
Do one action today for the welfare of someone beyond your immediate benefit.
My inner growth serves all beings.Reflect
Does my spirituality make me more compassionate?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘छिन्नद्वैधाः’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on service, in other chapters
- Verse 18.68Lovingly sharing spiritual wisdom with sincere seekers is itself a sure path to the Divine.
- Verse 3.20Stay engaged in the world and serve the common good — the wisest souls reached perfection through dutiful action, not withdrawal.
- Verse 4.34Wisdom is earned through humility, sincere questioning, and service — approach those who have truly realized the truth.
- Verse 12.10Even if you cannot meditate, make your daily work an offering to God and you will reach perfection.
Swipe left for 5.26 · Self-knowledge grows as desire and anger lose control.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 5.25
Who says Bhagavad Gita 5.25, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 5.25, in Chapter 5, Karma Sannyas Yoga (Karma Sannyas Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 5.25 mean?
Sages whose impurities are destroyed, doubts cut off, minds disciplined, and who delight in the welfare of all beings attain Brahmanirvana. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 5.25 for daily life?
Let your spiritual growth increase your service and compassion. A meditator who becomes kinder to family, animals, workers, and strangers is growing in the Gita’s direction.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 5.25 mean?
लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणम् — attain freedom in Brahman; ऋषयः — the sages / seers; क्षीणकल्मषाः — whose impurities are destroyed; छिन्नद्वैधाः — whose dualities are cut asunder; यतात्मानः — who are self-controlled.
Where does verse 5.25 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 25 of 29 in Chapter 5, Karma Sannyas Yoga. The next verse is 5.26.