In Bhagavad Gita 18.53, Krishna says having abandoned ego, force, arrogance, desire, anger and possessions, free from “mine” and at peace, one becomes fit to become Brahman.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं
कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम्
विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो
ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥ १८-५३ ॥
ahaṅkāraṃ balaṃ darpaṃ
kāmaṃ krodhaṃ parigraham
vimucya nirmamaḥ śānto
brahmabhūyāya kalpate
English transliteration ahankaaram balam darpam
kaamam krodham parigraham
vimuchya nirmamah shaanto
brahmabhooyaaya kalpate ॥ 18.53 ॥
Translation / Meaning
having abandoned egoism, force, arrogance, desire, anger and possessiveness, free from the sense of “mine” and at peace, one becomes fit for oneness with Brahman.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| अहङ्कारम् ahaṅkāram | egoism |
| बलम् balam | force |
| दर्पम् darpam | arrogance |
| कामम् kāmam | desire |
| क्रोधम् krodham | anger |
| परिग्रहम् parigraham | possessiveness |
| विमुच्य vimucya | having abandoned |
| निर्ममः nirmamaḥ | free from the sense of “mine” |
| शान्तः śāntaḥ | at peace |
| ब्रह्मभूयाय brahmabhūyāya | for oneness with Brahman |
| कल्पते kalpate | becomes fit |
Word-wise Chanting
- a–haṅ–kā–raṃ ba–laṃ dar–paṃ 8 syllables a-han-kaa-ram ba-lam dar-pam
- kā–maṃ kro–dhaṃ pa–rig–ra–ham | 8 syllables kaa-mam kro-dham pa-rig-ra-ham
- vi–muc–ya nir–ma–maḥ śān–to 8 syllables vi-much-ya nir-ma-mah shaan-to
- brah–ma–bhū–yā–ya kal–pa–te || 18-53 8 syllables brah-ma-bhoo-yaa-ya kal-pa-te
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 53
Context
The sentence begun in 18.51 is completed here.
Meaning
The final barriers are ahaṅkāra, egoism; bala, the urge to force; darpa, arrogance; kāma and krodha, desire and anger; and parigraha, accumulation. Releasing these, nirmama, free of “mine”, and śānta, peaceful, the seeker becomes fit for brahma-bhūya, union with Brahman.
These are the same qualities named as demonic in 16.18. Letting them go is the path to the Divine.
In Practice
Let go of one possession or claim of “mine” today, inwardly or outwardly.
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.