Verse 18.46
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् | स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः ||४६||
Transliteration (IAST)
yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ yena sarvam idaṁ tatam | sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ ||46||
Word-by-Word Meanings
yataḥ-from whom
pravṛttiḥ-the activity/origin
bhūtānām-of all beings
yena-by whom
sarvam idam-all this
tatam-is pervaded
sva-karmaṇā-by one's own duty
tam abhyarcya-worshipping Him
Translation
He from whom all beings originate and by whom all this is pervaded - by worshipping Him through one's own duty, a person attains perfection.
Commentary
This key verse reveals that all work becomes worship when offered to God. Shankaracharya explains that the Supreme Being, who is the source and sustainer of all, is best worshipped not through elaborate rituals but through the dedicated performance of one's natural duties. Ramanuja emphasizes that this transforms all karma into bhakti, making every action a form of devotion.
Themes
bhaktikarmadharmaduty