In Bhagavad Gita 18.50, Krishna asks Arjuna to learn briefly how one who has attained perfection reaches Brahman, the supreme culmination of knowledge.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
सिद्धिं प्राप्तो यथा ब्रह्म
तथाप्नोति निबोध मे
समासेनैव कौन्तेय
निष्ठा ज्ञानस्य या परा ॥ १८-५० ॥
siddhiṃ prāpto yathā brahma
tathāpnoti nibodha me
samāsenaiva kaunteya
niṣṭhā jñānasya yā parā
English transliteration siddhim praapto yathaa brahma
tathaapnoti nibodha me
samaasenaiva kaunteya
nishthaa jnaanasya yaa paraa ॥ 18.50 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Learn from Me briefly, O son of Kunti, how one who has attained perfection reaches Brahman, the supreme culmination of knowledge.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| सिद्धिम् siddhim | perfection |
| प्राप्तः prāptaḥ | having attained |
| यथा yathā | how |
| ब्रह्म brahma | Brahman |
| तथा tathā | thus |
| आप्नोति āpnoti | reaches |
| निबोध nibodha | learn |
| मे me | from Me |
| समासेन samāsena | briefly |
| एव eva | indeed |
| कौन्तेय kaunteya | O son of Kuntī |
| निष्ठा niṣṭhā | culmination |
| ज्ञानस्य jñānasya | of knowledge |
| या yā | which |
| परा parā | supreme |
Word-wise Chanting
- sid–dhiṃ prāp–to ya–thā brah–ma 8 syllables sid-dhim praap-to ya-thaa brah-ma
- ta–thāp–no–ti ni–bo–dha me | 8 syllables ta-thaap-no-ti ni-bo-dha me
- sa–mā–se–nai–va kaun–te–ya 8 syllables sa-maa-se-nai-va kaun-te-ya
- niṣ–ṭhā jñā–nas–ya yā pa–rā || 18-50 8 syllables nish-thaa jnaa-nas-ya yaa pa-raa
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 18 Verse 50
Context
Krishna describes the path to Brahman (18.50–18.55).
Meaning
Krishna now briefly describes the final stage: how one who has attained siddhi reaches Brahman, the parā niṣṭhā, the highest culmination of knowledge.
The next verses are a concise summary of the contemplative path.
In Practice
Read the next verses slowly, as a guide to the final stage of the spiritual journey.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 18: Moksha Sannyasa Yoga (Liberation and Renunciation). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.