In Bhagavad Gita 4.10, Krishna says that many, freed from attachment, fear and anger, absorbed in him and purified by the austerity of knowledge, have attained his state.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
वीतरागभयक्रोधा
मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः
बहवो ज्ञानतपसा
पूता मद्भावमागताः ॥ ४-१० ॥
vītarāgabhayakrodhā
manmayā māmupāśritāḥ
bahavo jñānatapasā
pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ
English transliteration veetaraagabhayakrodhaa
manmayaa maamupaashritaah
bahavo jnaanatapasaa
pootaa madbhaavamaagataah ॥ 4.10 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Freed from attachment, fear and anger, absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, and purified by the austerity of knowledge, many have attained My state of being.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| वीतरागभयक्रोधाः vītarāgabhayakrodhāḥ | freed from attachment, fear and anger vīta (freed) + rāga (attachment) + bhaya (fear) + krodhāḥ (anger) |
| मन्मयाः manmayāḥ | absorbed in Me mat (Me) + mayāḥ (full of) |
| माम् mām | Me |
| उपाश्रिताः upāśritāḥ | taking refuge in |
| बहवः bahavaḥ | many |
| ज्ञानतपसा jñānatapasā | by the austerity of knowledge jñāna (knowledge) + tapasā (austerity) |
| पूताः pūtāḥ | purified |
| मद्भावम् madbhāvam | My state of being mat (My) + bhāvam (being) |
| आगताः āgatāḥ | have attained |
Word-wise Chanting
- vī–ta–rā–ga–bha–yak–ro–dhā 8 syllables vee-ta-raa-ga-bha-yak-ro-dhaa
- man–ma–yā mā–mu–pāś–ri–tāḥ | 8 syllables man-ma-yaa maa-mu-paash-ri-taah
- ba–ha–vo jñā–na–ta–pa–sā 8 syllables ba-ha-vo jnaa-na-ta-pa-saa
- pū–tā mad–bhā–va–mā–ga–tāḥ || 4-10 8 syllables poo-taa mad-bhaa-va-maa-ga-taah
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 4 Verse 10
Context
Krishna shows that liberation (4.9) is not rare; many have reached it.
Meaning
The verse describes the path in three stages: purification from rāga, bhaya and krodha, attachment, fear and anger; devotion, being man-maya, absorbed in the Divine and taking refuge in it; and jñāna-tapas, the purifying fire of knowledge. Through these, many have reached mad-bhāva, the divine state.
It is encouraging that Krishna says “many.” Liberation is not reserved for a few saints in the distant past. The same qualities that were listed for the sage of steady wisdom (2.56) appear here as the gateway to the Divine. Devotion and knowledge work together in this purification.
In Practice
Name one fear, attachment or anger you carry. Offer it to the Divine in prayer or reflection, and ask for the strength to release it.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 4: Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga (Knowledge and Renunciation of Action). 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.