Chapter 5, Verse 12 (Bhagavad Gita 5.12)
Chapter 5: Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Renunciation
Sanskrit Shloka
युक्तः कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिमाप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम्। अयुक्तः कामकारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते
Transliteration
yuktaḥ karma-phalaṁ tyaktvā śhāntim āpnoti naiṣhṭhikīm ayuktaḥ kāma-kāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate
Word Meanings
yuktaḥ—one who is united in consciousness with God; karma-phalam—the results of all activities; tyaktvā—giving up; śhāntim—peace; āpnoti—attains; naiṣhṭhikīm—everlasting; ayuktaḥ—one who is not united with God in consciousness; kāma-kāreṇa—impelled by desires; phale—in the result; saktaḥ—attached; nibadhyate—becomes entangled
Translation
The person who is established in yoga, having abandoned the fruits of action, attains everlasting peace; whereas the person who is not established in yoga, being attached to the fruits of action and driven by desire, becomes bound.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse reveals the core mechanism of human suffering: our bondage to the outcomes of our efforts. When we perform actions with an ego-driven expectation, our inner peace becomes hostage to external results, leading to constant anxiety and restlessness. True spiritual freedom arises when we shift our focus from 'achieving' to 'offering' our work as a service, thereby neutralizing the pull of desire. By detaching from the fruit, we transcend the cycles of craving and aversion, anchoring ourselves in an unshakable state of equanimity. This practice transforms ordinary life into a meditative act, allowing the soul to remain untouched by the volatility of the material world.