18. The knowers of the Self look with an equal eye on a Brahmana endowed with learning and humility, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a pariah.

19. (Relative) existence has been conquered by them, even in this world, whose mind rests in evenness, since Brahman is even and without imperfection: therefore they indeed rest in Brahman.

20. Resting in Brahman, with intellect steady, and without delusion, the knower of Brahman neither rejoiceth on receiving what is pleasant, nor grieveth on receiving what is unpleasant.

21. With the heart unattached to external objects, he realises the joy that is in the Self. With the heart devoted to the meditation of Brahman, he attains un-decaying happiness.

22. Since enjoyments that are contact-born are parents of misery alone, and with beginning and end, O son of Kunti, a wise man does not seek pleasure in them.

23. He who can withstand in this world, before the liberation from the body, the impulse arising from lust and anger, he is steadfast (in Yoga), he is a happy man.

24. Whose happiness is within, whose relaxation is within, whose light is within, that Yogi alone, becoming Brahman, gains absolute freedom.

25. With imperfections exhausted, doubts dispelled, senses controlled, engaged in the good of all beings, the Rishis obtain absolute freedom.

26. Released from lust and anger, the heart controlled, the Self realised, absolute freedom is for such Sannyasis, both here and hereafter.

27-28. Shutting out external objects, steadying the eyes between the eyebrows, restricting the even currents of Prana and Apana inside the nostrils; the senses, mind, and intellect controlled, with Moksha as the supreme goal, freed from desire, fear and anger: such a man of meditation is verily free for ever.

29. Knowing Me as the dispenser of Yajnas and asceticisms, as the Great Lord of all worlds, as the friend of all beings, he attains Peace.

The end of the fifth chapter, designated THE WAY OF RENUNCIATION.

Footnotes

^120:1 In IV. 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 32, 33, 37 and 41, the Lord has spoken of the renunciation of all actions; and in IV. 42 He has exhorted Arjuna to engage in Yoga, in performance of action. Owing to the mutual opposition between the two, which makes it impossible for one man to resort to both of them at the same time, doubt arises in the mind of Arjuna, and hence the question as above.

Its performance--"Yoga" in the test: Yoga here and in the following verses means Karma-Yoga.

^121:2 Performance of action--is superior to mere renunciation (i.e., unaccompanied with knowledge) in the case of the novice in the path of spirituality. See the 6th sloka of this chapter.

^122:3 Constant Sannyasi: he need not have taken Sannyasa formally, but if he has the above frame of mind, he is a Sannyasi for ever and aye.