shruti-vipratipanna te
yada sthasyati niscala
samadhav acala buddhis
tada yogam avapsyasi
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 2.53
When your mind is no longer disturbed by the flowery language of the Vedas, and when it remains fixed in the trance of self-realization, then you will have attained the divine consciousness.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
To say that one is in samadhi is to say that one has fully realized Krishna consciousness; that is, one in full samadhi has realized Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. The highest perfection of self-realization is to understand that one is eternally the servitor of Krishna and that one’s only business is to discharge one’s duties in Krishna consciousness. A Krishna conscious person, or unflinching devotee of the Lord, should not be disturbed by the flowery language of the Vedas nor be engaged in fruitive activities for promotion to the heavenly kingdom. In Krishna consciousness, one comes directly into communion with Krishna, and thus all directions from Krishna may be understood in that transcendental state. One is sure to achieve results by such activities and attain conclusive knowledge. One has only to carry out the orders of Krishna or His representative, the spiritual master.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
At that time, you will become detached from hearing about all sorts of material and Vedic subjects, because of being adverse to the agitation created by these subjects (niscala). And your intelligence will be fixed in samadhi (samadhau acala), as described in the sixth chapter. At that time, by achieving direct realization, you will achieve the status of jivan mukta (yogam avapsyasi).
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
2.53 Here ‘Sruti’ means hearing (and not the Veda). When your intellect, which, by hearing from us, has become specially enlightened, having for its object the eternal, unsurpassed and subtle self — which belongs to a class different from all other entities —, then the intellect is firmly fixed, i.e., in a single psychosis and stands unshaken. In such a concentrated mind, purified by the performance of duties without attachment, will be generated true Yoga, which consists in the vision of the self. What is said is this: Karma Yoga, which presupposes the knowledge of the real nature of the self obtained from the scriptures, leads to a firm devotion to knowledge known as the state of firm wisdom; and the state of ‘firm wisdom;’ which is in the form of devotion to knowledge, generates the vision of the self; this vision is here called Yoga. Arjuna, thus taught, questions about the nature of ‘firm wisdom’ which constitutes the means for the attainment of Yoga and which itself is attainable through Karma Yoga which consists in work with detachment, and also about the mode of behaviour of a man of ‘firm wisdom.’
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
The Supreme Lord Krishna further explains that when Arjuna’s understanding which is now bewildered by the distraction of various scriptural conclusions describing actions which lead to heaven and actions which lead to hell, as well as worldly conceptions of possessing kingdoms and riches will get his mind fixed in samadhi or transcendental consciousness, then steadfastly focused on the supreme, not attracted to anything else due to expertise in yoga permanently is ecstatically enthralled thereby attaining the fruit of yoga which is absolute realisation of the Ultimate Truth.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna further clarifies the same point in this verse as well. The intellect that was confused by contradictory arguments in the Vedas becomes perfectly stabilised by the proper interpretation of the Vedas. Then equanimity of the mind becomes unshakeable like the resonance of a drum. Then with intense meditation on the bliss of the supreme one shall attain communion with the ultimate truth within and succeed in all one’s efforts.
Now begins the summation.
The word nirvedam indicates detachment. When delusion is forsaken and all other signs of nescience and non-awareness disappears then detachment from the mundane arises and a living entity acquires the beneficial result from listening to the Vedas from a self-realised being. Thereafter adhering to the path established by the Vedas in mind and in conduct the uncompromised meaning derived thereof is apparent delivering with it an unimaginable experience of spiritual satisfaction. Thus communion with Lord Krishna will be attained through liberation by equanimity of the mind developed in wisdom by spiritual intelligence. Sruti vipraptipanna means not being influenced to act fruitively by the rewards given in the Vedic scriptures.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
If one were to enquire further that after achieving indifference to worldly topics by performing selfless activities free from desire for reward, will equanimity manifest. Lord Krishna states that when our minds caught between the dichotomy of dualities due to hearing throughout our lives conflicting conclusions and adhering to false conceptions, with little or no knowledge of the ultimate truth and becomes steadfast. Then unshakeable and fixed in the flow of all mental aspirations culminating in an unending focus of the soul, perceiving no other goal. One will immediately be in the state of equanimity as the fruit of equanimity is the gradual experience of the soul itself.
Tus ends the commentary to Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, chapter 2, verse 53 by Keshava Kashmiri.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
2.53 If it be asked, ‘By becoming possessed of the wisdom arising from the discrimination about the Self after overcoming the turbidity of delusion, when shall I attain the yoga of the supreme Reality which is the fruit that results from Karma-yoga?’, then listen to that; Yada, when at the time when; te, your; buddhih, mind; that has become sruti-vi-pratipanna, bewildered, tossed about, by hearing (the Vedas) that reveal the diverse ends, means, and (their) relationship, i.e. are filled with divergent ideas; sthasyati, will become; niscala, unshakable, free from the trubulence in the form of distractions; and acala, steadfast, that is to say, free from doubt even in that (unshakable) state; samadhau, in samadhi, that is to say, in the Self — samadhi being derived in the sense of that in which the mind is fixed; tada, then, at that time; avapsyasi, you will attain; yogam, Yoga, the enlightenment, Self-absorption, that arises from discrimination. Having got an occasion for inquiry, Arjuna, with a view to knowing the characteristics of one who has the realization of the Self, [By the word samadhi is meant the enlightenment arising from discrimination, which has been spoken of in the commentary on the previous verse. The steadfastness which the monks have in that enlightenment is called steadfastness in Knowledge. Or the phrase may mean, ‘the enlightenment achieved through meditation on the Self’, i.e. the realization of the supreme Goal.] asked:
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
2.52-53 Yada te etc. Sruti-etc. At the time, when the determining facult with regard to the Yoga is attained, the clear sign of recognizing it, is this : An attitude of futility about the revealed literature that has to be listened to, that has been listened to and that is being declared. What has been declared by the above is this : ‘This present view of yours about the ruination of your race is out of place and it is due to the influence of your deceptive notion, born of mental impressions created by your listening to the teachings of those scriptures that favour the observers who are fallen deep into the course of ignorance. But, that view shall vanish when the respect for such a teaching disappears.
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
sruti-vipratipanna te
yada sthasyati niscala
samadhav acala buddhis
tada yogam avapsyasi
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
śruti — of Vedic revelation; vipratipannā — without being influenced by the fruitive results; te — your; yadā — when; sthāsyati — remains; niścalā — unmoved; samādhau — in transcendental consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness; acalā — unflinching; buddhiḥ — intelligence; tadā — at that time; yogam — self-realization; avāpsyasi — you will achieve.
