Chapter 18, Verse 6 (Bhagavad Gita 18.6)
Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyās Yog – Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender
Sanskrit Shloka
एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च।कर्तव्यानीति मे पार्थ निश्िचतं मतमुत्तमम्
Transliteration
etāny api tu karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalāni cha kartavyānīti me pārtha niśhchitaṁ matam uttamam
Word Meanings
etāni—these; api tu—must certainly be; karmāṇi—activities; saṅgam—attachment; tyaktvā—giving up; phalāni—rewards; cha—and; kartavyāni—should be done as duty; iti—such; me—my; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; niśhchitam—definite; matam—opinion; uttamam—supreme
Translation
O Arjuna, even these actions must be performed, relinquishing all attachment and the desire for fruits; this is My definitive and supreme conviction, declares Lord Krishna.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound instruction, Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, clarifies the essence of selfless service. He teaches that the act itself is not a barrier to liberation, but the bondage of ego and selfish desire is. By surrendering the fruits of our labor to the lotus feet of Bhagwan Shri Krishna, the soul is freed from the cycle of karma. This discipline transforms mundane duties into a sacrifice offered unto the Divine, leading the seeker toward spiritual emancipation. Thus, Krishna reveals that true detachment is not abandoning action, but acting as a pure instrument of the Divine will.