Chapter 4, Verse 20 (Bhagavad Gita 4.20)
Chapter 4: Jñāna Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action
Sanskrit Shloka
त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः। कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः
Transliteration
tyaktvā karma-phalāsaṅgaṁ nitya-tṛipto nirāśhrayaḥ karmaṇyabhipravṛitto ’pi naiva kiñchit karoti saḥ
Word Meanings
tyaktvā—having given up; karma-phala-āsaṅgam—attachment to the fruits of action; nitya—always; tṛiptaḥ—satisfied; nirāśhrayaḥ—without dependence; karmaṇi—in activities; abhipravṛittaḥ—engaged; api—despite; na—not; eva—certainly; kiñchit—anything; karoti—do; saḥ—that person
Translation
Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of the action, ever content, and depending on nothing, he does not perform any action even while being engaged in activity.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse reveals the secret of 'Nishkama Karma,' or action without desire for the outcome. It teaches that true inaction is not the cessation of movement, but the cessation of psychological identification with the results of one’s efforts. When a person becomes anchored in the Self rather than the ego, they cease to be the 'doer,' becoming a mere instrument of the Divine. This inner transformation liberates the mind from the anxieties of success and failure, granting a state of perpetual contentment. Ultimately, it means living fully in the world while remaining fundamentally untouched by its transient dualities.