Chapter 18, Verse 26 (Bhagavad Gita 18.26)
Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyās Yog – Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender
Sanskrit Shloka
मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः।सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते
Transliteration
mukta-saṅgo ‘nahaṁ-vādī dhṛity-utsāha-samanvitaḥ siddhy-asiddhyor nirvikāraḥ kartā sāttvika uchyate
Word Meanings
mukta-saṅgaḥ—free from worldly attachment; anaham-vādī—free from ego; dhṛiti—strong resolve; utsāha—zeal; samanvitaḥ—endowed with; siddhi-asiddhyoḥ—in success and failure; nirvikāraḥ—unaffected; kartā—worker; sāttvikaḥ—in the mode of goodness; uchyate—is said to be
Translation
The agent who is free from attachment, devoid of egoism, endowed with fortitude and enthusiasm, and remains unaffected by success or failure, is declared to be of the Sattvic nature.
Meaning & Commentary
In this sacred instruction on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Lord Krishna delineates the character of the ideal devotee who acts as a true instrument of the Divine. By performing duties without the taint of personal attachment or the arrogance of ego, the seeker transcends the dualities of worldly existence. Bhagwan Shri Krishna reveals that such equanimity—remaining balanced in both triumph and defeat—is the hallmark of a soul purified by Sattva. This state of being allows the individual to act in harmony with the cosmic order, ultimately leading the seeker toward the path of liberation and eternal union with Him.