Bhagavad Gita BG 12.4
Chapter 12, Verse 4 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
सन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः । ते प्राप्नुवन्ति मामेव सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥
sanniyamyendriya-gramam sarvatra sama-buddhayah te prapnuvanti mam eva sarva-bhuta-hite ratah
Meaning
By restraining the aggregate of senses, even-minded everywhere, intent on the welfare of all beings — they too attain Me.
Understanding
This verse completes the description of those who worship the Unmanifest Imperishable (v3-4 form a pair). Having described the object of that worship (v3), Krishna now describes the inner qualities of such worshippers: sanniyamya indriya-gramam (with the aggregate of senses fully restrained), sarvatra sama-buddhayah (with equanimous intellect everywhere — not just in temples but in all situations). Te prapnuvanti mam eva (they too attain Me — Krishna acknowledges that even this difficult, attributeless path leads to Him). Sarva-bhuta-hite ratah (devoted to the welfare of all beings — compassion as the outer expression of inner equanimity). The path of the Unmanifest is valid but harder (as v5 explains); these devotees also arrive.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सन्नियम्य | sanniyamya | having restrained, having controlled fully |
| इन्द्रियग्रामम् | indriya-gramam | aggregate of senses, the collection of sense faculties |
| समबुद्धयः | sama-buddhayah | with equanimous intellect, even-minded |
| सर्वभूतहिते | sarva-bhuta-hite | in the welfare of all beings |
| रताः | ratah | devoted to, engaged in, intent on |
| इन्द्रिय-ग्रामम् | indriya-grāmam | the totality of senses |
| सर्वत्र | sarvatra | everywhere |
| सम-बुद्धयः | sama-buddhayaḥ | of equal intelligence |
| ते | te | they |
| प्राप्नुवन्ति | prāpnuvanti | attain |
| माम् | mām | Me |
| एव | eva | verily |
| सर्व-भूत-हिते | sarva-bhūta-hite | in the welfare of all beings |
| रताः | ratāḥ | engaged |
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