kāma-krodha-vimuktānāḿ
yatīnāḿ yata-cetasām
abhito brahma-nirvāṇaḿ
vartate viditātmanām

Translation of Bhagavad Gita 5.26

Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future.

Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:

Of the saintly persons who are constantly engaged in striving toward salvation, one who is in Krishna consciousness is the best of all. The Bhagavatam (4.22.39) confirms this fact as follows:

yat-pada-pankaja-palasa-vilasa-bhaktya
karmasayam grathitam udgrathayanti santah
tadvan na rikta-matayo yatayo ’pi ruddha-
sroto-ganas tam aranam bhaja vasudevam

“Just try to worship, in devotional service, Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even great sages are not able to control the forces of the senses as effectively as those who are engaged in transcendental bliss by serving the lotus feet of the Lord, uprooting the deep-grown desire for fruitive activities.”

In the conditioned soul the desire to enjoy the fruitive results of work is so deep rooted that it is very difficult even for the great sages to control such desires, despite great endeavors. A devotee of the Lord, constantly engaged in devotional service in Krishna consciousness, perfect in self-realization, very quickly attains liberation in the Supreme. Owing to his complete knowledge in self-realization, he always remains in trance. To cite an analogous example of this:

darshana-dhyana-samsparshair
matsya-kurma-vihangamah
svany apatyani pusnanti
tathaham api padma-ja

“By vision, by meditation and by touch only do the fish, the tortoise and the birds maintain their offspring. Similarly do I also, O Padmaja!”

The fish brings up its offspring simply by looking at them. The tortoise brings up its offspring simply by meditation. The eggs of the tortoise are laid on land, and the tortoise meditates on the eggs while in the water. Similarly, the devotee in Krishna consciousness, although far away from the Lord’s abode, can elevate himself to that abode simply by thinking of Him constantly—by engagement in Krishna consciousness. He does not feel the pangs of material miseries; this state of life is called brahma-nirvana, or the absence of material miseries due to being constantly immersed in the Supreme.

Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:

When will those who have realized the soul but not paramatma (viditamanam) attain the happiness of brahma nirvana? This verse explains. Yata cetasam means those who have reduced the functions of the mind, weakened the subtle body. After that they attain brahma nirvana completely, in all ways (abhitah). This means without much delay, they attain brahma nirvana.

Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:

5.26 To those who are free from desire and wrath; ‘who are wont to exert themselves’ i.e., who are practising self-control; whose ‘thought is controlled,’ i.e., whose minds are subdued; ‘who have conquered them,’ i.e., whose minds are under their control — to such persons the beatitude of the Brahman is close at hand. The beatitude of the Brahman is already in hand to persons of this type. Sri Krsna concludes the examination of Karma Yoga already stated, as reaching the highest point in the practice of mental concentration (Yoga) having for its object the vision of the self:

Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:

Moreover sannyasins or celibate brahmins who have fully accepted the renounced order for life completely withdrawing from external perceptions in the material world for devotion to the Supreme Lord when being free from kama or lust and krodha or anger and achieving atma tattva or realisation of the soul they achieve in this life the Brahman or the spiritual substratum pervading all existence and moksa or liberation from the material existence as well.

Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:

This verse conveys the relative ease by which sannyasis or celibate brahmins exclusively devoted to the Supreme Lord Krishna can achieve the unparalleled bliss of atma tattva or soul realisation as well as the Brahman or spiritual substratum pervading all existence.

Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:

There is still another group of human beings who experience an even higher level of experience. They are the yatis or sannyasis those who have given up wife, children, occupation, all they have and give everything to serve the lotus feet of the servant of the servant of the Supreme Lord Krishna. For such enlightened renunciates moksa or liberation is present every where they go in everything they do.

Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:

5.26 Yatinam, to the monks; yata-cetasam, who have control over their internal organ; kama-krodha-viyuktanam, who are free from desire and anger; vidita-atmanam, who have known the Self, i.e. who have full realization; vartate, there is; brahma-nir-vanam, absorption in Brahman, Liberation; abhitah, either way, whether living or dead. Immediate Liberation of the monks who are steadfast in full realization has been stated. And the Lord has said, and will say, at every stage that Karma-yoga, undertaken as a dedication to Brahman, to God, by surrendering all activities [The activities of body, mind and organs] to God, leads to Liberation through the stages of purification of the heart, attainment of Knowledge, and renunciation of all actions. Thereafter, now, with the idea, ‘I shall speak elaborately of the yoga of meditation which is the proximate discipline for full realization,’ the Lord gave instruction through some verses in the form of aphorisms:

Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:

5.26 Kama – etc. For them at all times i.e., at all stages, there is Brahman-Existence, the ultimately true one, and it does not look for the time of control [of the mind (mediation)]

Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:

kama-krodha-vimuktanam
yatinam yata-cetasam
abhito brahma-nirvanam
vartate viditatmanam

Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:

kāma — from desires; krodha — and anger; vimuktānām — of those who are liberated; yatīnām — of the saintly persons; yata-cetasām — who have full control over the mind; abhitaḥ — assured in the near future; brahma-nirvāṇam — liberation in the Supreme; vartate — is there; vidita-ātmanām — of those who are self-realized.