Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 8, Verse 11

यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः । यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं सङ्ग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये

yadakṣaraṃ vedavido vadanti viśanti yadyatayo vītarāgāḥ | yadicchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti tatte padaṃ saṅgraheṇa pravakṣye

Translation

That Imperishable Goal which the knowers of the Veda declare, which the self-controlled and the passion-free enter, which desiring they lead the godly life — That Goal will I declare to thee with brevity.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

yat

whom

akṣaram

indestructible

vedavidaḥ

the Veda-knowers

vadanti

declare

viśanti

enter

yat

(into) whom

yatayaḥ

the controlled

vītarāgāḥ

gone, passion, whose, they

yat

whom

icchantaḥ

desiring

brahmacaryam

Brahmacharya

caranti

(they) perform

tat

that

te

to (to) thee

padam

path

saṅgraheṇa

with (as) summary

pravakṣye

(I) will declare

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

Those who understand the teaching of the Veda declare the Imperishable as devoid of any attribute whatsoever. The Śruti says: "This verily is that, the Imperishable, O Gārgī, as the brāhmaṇas declare, 'not gross, not subtle'" etc. (Bṛ. Up. 3.8.8). The saṃnyāsins, ever controlling themselves, free from passion, enter the Imperishable, on attaining to right knowledge. Desiring to know the Imperishable they enter on godly life (brahmacarya) with a Guru.