Chapter 4, Verse 41 (Bhagavad Gita 4.41)
Chapter 4: Jñāna Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action
Sanskrit Shloka
योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसंछिन्नसंशयम्। आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय
Transliteration
yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaṁ jñāna-sañchhinna-sanśhayam ātmavantaṁ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya
Word Meanings
yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇam—those who renounce ritualistic karm, dedicating their body, mind, and soul to God; jñāna—by knowledge; sañchhinna—dispelled; sanśhayam—doubts; ātma-vantam—situated in knowledge of the self; na—not; karmāṇi—actions; nibadhnanti—bind; dhanañjaya—Arjun, the conqueror of wealth
Translation
He who has renounced actions through Yoga, whose doubts have been dispelled by knowledge, and who is self-possessed—such a one is not bound by actions, O Arjuna.
Meaning & Commentary
This sloka teaches that true liberation is not the rejection of activity, but a change in the internal attitude toward it. When one acts in the state of Yoga, they perform duties without being consumed by ego or the desire for outcomes. Knowledge serves as the light that burns away the confusion of the mind, allowing the practitioner to remain anchored in their true Self. By reaching this state of self-possession, the individual transcends the karmic cycle because the action no longer stems from personal attachment. Consequently, the soul remains free and untainted by the movements of the material world.