etair vimuktaḥ kaunteya tamo-dvārais tribhir naraḥ ācaraty ātmanaḥ śreyas tato yāti parāṁ gatim
"One who is freed from these three gates of darkness, O son of Kunti, practices what is good for the self, and thus attains the supreme goal."
What This Means:
A person freed from these three gates of darkness (lust, anger, greed) does what's truly good for themselves and thereby reaches the supreme goal. Freedom from these leads to liberation.
Going Deeper:
'Etaiḥ vimuktaḥ tamo-dvāraiḥ tribhiḥ'—freed from these three gates of darkness. 'Ācarati ātmanaḥ śreyaḥ'—practices what is good for the self (follows dharma, pursues liberation). 'Tataḥ yāti parām gatim'—then attains the supreme goal. The negative (abandon the three) becomes positive (do what's good), leading to liberation.
How To Apply This:
Freedom from lust, anger, and greed isn't the end—it's the beginning. Once free from these obstacles, you naturally pursue what's truly beneficial. The path then becomes clear and straight to the goal.
Key Sanskrit Terms: