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← Chapter 18: The Yoga of Liberation through Renunciation

Verse 18.10

Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit

न द्वेष्ट्यकुशलं कर्म कुशले नानुषज्जते | त्यागी सत्त्वसमाविष्टो मेधावी छिन्नसंशयः ||१०||

Transliteration (IAST)

na dveṣṭy akuśalaṁ karma kuśale nānuṣajjate | tyāgī sattva-samāviṣṭo medhāvī chinna-saṁśayaḥ ||10||

Word-by-Word Meanings

na dveṣṭi-does not hate
akuśalam-unpleasant/disagreeable
karma-action
kuśale-in pleasant action
na anuṣajjate-does not cling
tyāgī-the renouncer
sattva-samāviṣṭaḥ-imbued with sattva
chinna-saṁśayaḥ-whose doubts are cut

Translation

The wise renouncer, imbued with sattva and with doubts cut asunder, neither hates disagreeable action nor is attached to agreeable action.

Commentary

Krishna describes the characteristics of a true tyagi. Shankaracharya explains that equanimity toward pleasant and unpleasant duties is the hallmark of sattvic renunciation. Ramanuja notes that 'chinna-saṁśayaḥ' (doubts destroyed) indicates firm knowledge of the self's distinction from action.

Themes

karmajnanamoksha