Chapter 4, Verse 21 (Bhagavad Gita 4.21)
Chapter 4: Jñāna Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action
Sanskrit Shloka
निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः। शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्
Transliteration
nirāśhīr yata-chittātmā tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ śhārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣham
Word Meanings
nirāśhīḥ—free from expectations; yata—controlled; chitta-ātmā—mind and intellect; tyakta—having abandoned; sarva—all; parigrahaḥ—the sense of ownership; śhārīram—bodily; kevalam—only; karma—actions; kurvan—performing; na—never; āpnoti—incurs; kilbiṣham—sin
Translation
Remaining free from desire, with mind and senses controlled, and having surrendered all attachment to possessions, one who performs actions merely for the body incurs no sin.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse addresses the profound psychological state of 'Nishkama Karma,' or selfless action. It teaches that sin is not inherent in the action itself, but in the egoic attachment to the result and the craving for possession. By relinquishing the desire for ownership and personal gain, an individual breaks the cycle of psychological entanglement that usually binds us to the consequences of our deeds. This is a call to move beyond the duality of pleasure and pain, transforming daily labor into a meditative offering. Ultimately, one attains a state of inner tranquility where the external world of action ceases to disturb the soul's essential nature.