Chapter 2, Verse 38 (Bhagavad Gita 2.38)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ। ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि
Transliteration
sukha-duḥkhe same kṛitvā lābhālābhau jayājayau tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṁ pāpam avāpsyasi
Word Meanings
sukha—happiness; duḥkhe—in distress; same kṛitvā—treating alike; lābha-alābhau—gain and loss; jaya-ajayau—victory and defeat; tataḥ—thereafter; yuddhāya—for fighting; yujyasva—engage; na—never; evam—thus; pāpam—sin; avāpsyasi—shall incur
Translation
Treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat as the same, engage in battle; thus, you will not incur any sin.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse teaches the essence of Nishkama Karma, or action performed without attachment to the results. It invites the seeker to transcend the dualities of worldly existence, recognizing that our reactions to external outcomes are what trap us in suffering. By focusing solely on the duty at hand rather than the fruit of our labor, we liberate our consciousness from the cycle of ego-driven desires. This shift in perspective transforms mundane activity into a meditative practice, ensuring that the act itself becomes a path to spiritual purity rather than a source of moral burden.