Chapter 5 Verse 21
Karm Sanyās Yog
बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम्। स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते।।5.21।।
bāhya-sparśheṣhvasaktātmā vindatyātmani yat sukham sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣhayam aśhnute
Word Meanings
| bāhya-sparśheṣhu | external sense pleasure |
| asakta-ātmā | those who are unattached |
| vindati | find |
| ātmani | in the self |
| yat | which |
| sukham | bliss |
| saḥ | that person |
| brahma-yoga yukta-ātmā | those who are united with God through yog |
| sukham | happiness |
| akṣhayam | unlimited |
| aśhnute | experiences |
Translation
With the self unattached to external contacts, he finds happiness in the Self; with the self engaged in the meditation of Brahman, he attains endless happiness.
Philosophical Significance
Core Meaning
When you stop clinging to pleasures outside—sights, sounds, tastes—you begin to feel a quiet happiness inside yourself. That inner joy is steady because it does not depend on changing things.
By turning the mind toward the Divine or the true Self through steady practice (Brahma-yoga), this inner happiness becomes deep and endless. It is not a temporary feeling but a lasting peace that comes from knowing your real nature.
This verse points out that freedom from attachment is not about avoiding life. It is about changing where you seek satisfaction: from outside objects to the calm, secure center within.
Life Application
- Start each day with 5–10 minutes of quiet attention to your breath or a short meditation to taste inner calm before seeking external pleasures.
- Before indulging a strong desire (food, shopping, scrolling), pause and ask if it brings lasting peace or only a momentary lift.
- Do your tasks fully, but try not to depend emotionally on the outcome; focus on right effort, not on results.
Reflection Question
Where do I habitually look for happiness—outside things or inside my own heart?