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← Chapter 5: The Yoga of Renunciation of Action

Verse 5.8

Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit

नैव किञ्चित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित्। पश्यञ्शृण्वन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपञ्श्वसन्।।

Transliteration (IAST)

naiva kiñcit karomīti yukto manyeta tattva-vit। paśyañ śṛṇvan spṛśañ jighran aśnan gacchan svapañ śvasan।।

Word-by-Word Meanings

किञ्चित्-anything
करोमि-I do
तत्त्ववित्-knower of truth
पश्यन्-seeing
शृण्वन्-hearing
स्पृशन्-touching

Translation

The knower of truth, being united in yoga, thinks 'I do nothing at all' - while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, walking, sleeping, and breathing.

Commentary

The enlightened person understands that all actions are performed by the senses interacting with their objects, while the Self remains the uninvolved witness. This verse begins a two-verse description of the jñānī's perspective on action, continued in 5.9.

Themes

jnanaatmankarma