Chapter 18, Verse 9 (Bhagavad Gita 18.9)
Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyās Yog – Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender
Sanskrit Shloka
कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन।सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः
Transliteration
kāryam ity eva yat karma niyataṁ kriyate ‘rjuna saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalaṁ chaiva sa tyāgaḥ sāttviko mataḥ
Word Meanings
kāryam—as a duty; iti—as; eva—indeed; yat—which; karma niyatam—obligatory actions; kriyate—are performed; arjuna—Arjun; saṅgam—attachment; tyaktvā—relinquishing; phalam—reward; cha—and; eva—certainly; saḥ—such; tyāgaḥ—renunciation of desires for enjoying the fruits of actions; sāttvikaḥ—in the mode of goodness; mataḥ—considered
Translation
O Arjuna, when an obligatory duty is performed merely because it is one's duty, renouncing all attachment and the desire for reward, that renunciation is considered to be in the mode of goodness (sattvic).
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound instruction, Lord Krishna reveals the secret of true spiritual discipline, which is the path of selfless action, or Nishkama Karma. By performing one’s duty as an offering to the Divine, the seeker transcends the bondage of karma that chains the soul to the cycle of birth and death. Shri Krishna teaches that when the ego’s craving for personal gain is surrendered, every action becomes a sacred act of worship. This sattvic renunciation purifies the heart, aligning the soul with the eternal will of the Supreme Lord. Ultimately, this practice leads the devotee toward liberation (moksha) by transforming worldly duty into an act of devotion.