18.54 Then the highest devotion Krishna speaks
ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्क्षति
समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मद्भक्तिं लभते पराम्
brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śhochati na kāṅkṣhati
samaḥ sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
Having become Brahman, serene in self, one does not grieve and does not crave; the same toward all beings, such a person reaches the highest devotion to me.
Explanation
And then the highest devotion.
Having become Brahman, serene, neither grieving nor craving, the same toward all beings — such a person reaches the highest devotion to me.
The order is the striking thing. Devotion is not the road to Brahman here; it is what follows from having become it, which reverses the usual arrangement.
Word by word
- brahma-bhūtaḥ
- one situated in Brahman
- prasanna-ātmā
- mentally serene
- na
- neither
- śhochati
- grieving
- na
- nor
- kāṅkṣhati
- desiring
- samaḥ
- equitably disposed
- sarveṣhu
- toward all
- bhūteṣhu
- living beings
- mat-bhaktim
- devotion to me
- labhate
- attains
- parām
- supreme
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