na - tvahaṃ - kāmaye - rājyaṃ - na - svargo - nāpi - mokṣaḥ - ativartayatām - eṣa - tṛptaḥ - kaḥ - kāmayetāni

ahaṃ (I) na (not) kāmaye (desire) rājyaṃ (kingdom),na (not) svargo (heaven) nāpi (nor) mokṣaḥ (liberation),eṣa (of such a person) ativartayatām (who has surpassed all desires) tṛptaḥ (being satisfied) kaḥ (what) kāmayetāni (desires these things)?

Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): This verse highlights the non-dual nature of reality, pointing to the ultimate identity of brahman and ātman. According to Shankara, the one who has transcended worldly attachments is indeed the liberated self, untouched by desires for wealth, heaven, or even liberation. This state is akin to the description in the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna describes the sthitaprajna, the person of steady wisdom, who is unmoved by the dualities of the world. Shankara, in his commentary on the Brahma Sutras, emphasizes that the realization of this identity leads to the cessation of all desires, as the individual self recognizes its true nature as brahman, thereby echoing the sentiment of this verse that one who is fulfilled (tṛptaḥ) has no desire for such transient things.

Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): The Vaiṣṇava tradition interprets this verse in the context of the loving relationship between the jīva (individual self) and Īśvara (the Supreme Lord). Rāmānujācārya might see this verse as describing the state of the jīva who has attained prema, or pure love for God, and thus is no longer attached to worldly things, including the desire for mokṣa as an end in itself. Instead, the devotee's desire is solely to please and be with the Lord, exemplifying a state beyond the transactional desires for material wealth or spiritual liberation. Madhvācārya, with his emphasis on the difference between the individual self and the Supreme, would likely highlight the dependence of the jīva on Īśvara's grace for achieving such a state of detachment and satisfaction.

Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): Swami Vivekānanda, in his lectures and writings, often emphasized the practical application of Vedāntic principles in everyday life, including the attainment of a state beyond attachments and desires. This verse, for him, would symbolize the ideal of the sannyasin, the renouncer, who has renounced not just worldly possessions but also the desires for worldly or heavenly enjoyments. Vivekānanda would encourage his listeners to strive for such a state of detachment, not merely as an end but as a means to achieve a higher level of service to humanity, untainted by personal motivations. Similarly, S. Rādhākrishnan, in his philosophical works, would interpret this verse as an expression of the universal human aspiration for transcendence, where the individual, having overcome the limitations of the ego, finds fulfillment in a realization that transcends the boundedness of worldly life, pointing towards a universal and eternal truth.

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