Chapter 3, Verse 25 (Bhagavad Gita 3.25)
Chapter 3: Karm Yog – Path of Selfless Service
Sanskrit Shloka
सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत। कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्िचकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम्
Transliteration
saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvānso yathā kurvanti bhārata kuryād vidvāns tathāsaktaśh chikīrṣhur loka-saṅgraham
Word Meanings
saktāḥ—attached; karmaṇi—duties; avidvānsaḥ—the ignorant; yathā—as much as; kurvanti—act; bhārata—scion of Bharat (Arjun); kuryāt—should do; vidvān—the wise; tathā—thus; asaktaḥ—unattached; chikīrṣhuḥ—wishing; loka-saṅgraham—welfare of the world
Translation
Just as the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to the results, O Bharata, so too should the wise act without attachment, desiring only the welfare of the world.
Meaning & Commentary
This sloka teaches the philosophy of 'Nishkama Karma,' or selfless action, which serves as the bridge between human labor and spiritual liberation. By shifting one's focus from personal gain to the welfare of others, the individual transcends the ego-driven cycle of craving and disappointment. It implies that true wisdom does not lie in renouncing the world, but in transforming the nature of one's engagement with it. When an action is performed as a service to the collective, it ceases to be a karmic bondage and instead becomes an instrument of spiritual growth. This path allows the wise to remain active in the world while staying internally anchored in peace and detachment.