Verse 18.54
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्क्षति | समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मद्भक्तिं लभते पराम् ||५४||
Transliteration (IAST)
brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati | samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ||54||
Word-by-Word Meanings
brahma-bhūtaḥ-one who has become Brahman
prasanna-ātmā-serene-minded
na śocati-does not grieve
na kāṅkṣati-does not desire
samaḥ-equal
sarveṣu bhūteṣu-toward all beings
mad-bhaktim-devotion to Me
parām-supreme
Translation
Having become Brahman, serene in the Self, he neither grieves nor desires; regarding all beings equally, he attains supreme devotion to Me.
Commentary
This pivotal verse bridges jnana and bhakti. Shankaracharya explains that one established in Brahman-knowledge naturally develops supreme devotion. Ramanuja sees this as proof that bhakti is the culmination of jnana, not a separate path. The one who realizes the Self in all beings naturally loves the Lord who dwells in all.
Themes
bhaktijnanamokshaatman