लभन्ते ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृषयः क्षीणकल्मषाः । छिन्नद्वैधा यतात्मानः सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥
labhante brahmanirvāṇamṛṣayaḥ kṣīṇakalmaṣāḥ | chinnadvaidhā yatātmānaḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ ||
Translation
The seers who have had their impurities destroyed, whose doubts are cut asunder, whose selves are controlled, who delight in the welfare of all beings — these attain Brahma-nirvana.
Interpretation
This verse gives the complete portrait of those who attain liberation. Four qualities: (1) kshina-kalmasha — impurities (desires, ego, anger) have been exhausted; (2) chinna-dvaidha — doubts about the nature of the Self and the path have been completely severed; (3) yatatmana — self-controlled and disciplined; (4) sarvabhuta-hite-rata — actively delighting in the welfare of all beings. This last quality is notable: liberation is not a state of cold indifference but of warm, expansive compassion for all life.