Verse 18.9
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन | सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः ||९||
Transliteration (IAST)
kāryam ity eva yat karma niyataṁ kriyate 'rjuna | saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalaṁ caiva sa tyāgaḥ sāttviko mataḥ ||9||
Word-by-Word Meanings
kāryam-as duty/must be done
niyatam-prescribed/obligatory
kriyate-is performed
saṅgam-attachment
tyaktvā-having given up
phalam-fruit/result
sāttvikaḥ-in the mode of goodness
mataḥ-is considered
Translation
When prescribed action is performed simply because it ought to be done, O Arjuna, giving up attachment and the fruit - that relinquishment is considered sattvic.
Commentary
Sattvic tyaga represents the ideal: performing duty purely because it is right, without attachment to outcomes. Shankaracharya identifies this as the Gita's central teaching on action. Ramanuja explains that 'kāryam iti eva' means the sole motivation is dharma itself. Madhva notes this is the path that leads directly to moksha.
Themes
karmadharmamokshasurrender