Chapter 18, Verse 17 (Bhagavad Gita 18.17)
Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyās Yog – Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender
Sanskrit Shloka
यस्य नाहंकृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते।हत्वापि स इमाँल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते
Transliteration
yasya nāhankṛito bhāvo buddhir yasya na lipyate hatvā ‘pi sa imāl lokān na hanti na nibadhyate
Word Meanings
yasya—whose; na ahankṛitaḥ—free from the ego of being the doer; bhāvaḥ—nature; buddhiḥ—intellect; yasya—whose; na lipyate—unattached; hatvā—slay; api—even; saḥ—they; imān—this; lokān—living beings; na—neither; hanti—kill; na—nor; nibadhyate—get bound
Translation
He who is free from the egoistic notion, whose intelligence is not tainted by good or evil, though he slays these people, he does not slay, nor is he bound by the action.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound revelation, Bhagwan Shri Krishna clarifies the nature of selfless action performed in divine consciousness. When a seeker transcends the limited sense of 'I'—the ego—and acts as a mere instrument of the Supreme Lord, their karma ceases to bind them to the cycle of samsara. Shri Krishna teaches that true liberation is not found in renouncing action, but in renouncing the ownership of the result. By anchoring the intellect in the Eternal, the devotee moves beyond the dualities of virtue and sin, performing even the most difficult tasks without incurring any spiritual debt. Ultimately, Shri Krishna invites the soul to recognize that the Supreme Self is the only true doer, leading the surrendered devotee to absolute peace.