Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 10

वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः | बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूत मद्भावमागताः ||

vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ bahavo jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ

Freed from attachment, fear, and anger, absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, purified by the fire of knowledge, many have attained My divine nature.

Krishna describes those who have achieved liberation—not as exceptional beings, but as 'many' (bahavaḥ) who followed a path. The characteristics: 'vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodha' (freed from attachment, fear, anger), 'man-mayāḥ' (absorbed in Me/filled with divine consciousness), 'mām upāśritāḥ' (taking refuge in Me/devoted), 'jñāna-tapasā pūtāḥ' (purified by knowledge-practice), and reaching 'mad-bhāvam' (My nature). This verse shows the practical path—not just understanding divine nature (verse 4.9), but actively purifying consciousness through knowledge and practice. The word 'tapasā' (austerity/practice) emphasizes that this requires effort, not just insight. Liberation comes through both understanding and practice.