Chapter 5, Verse 8 (Bhagavad Gita 5.8)
Chapter 5: Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Renunciation
Sanskrit Shloka
नैव किंचित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित्। पश्यन् श्रृणवन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपन् श्वसन्
Transliteration
naiva kiñchit karomīti yukto manyeta tattva-vit paśhyañ śhṛiṇvan spṛiśhañjighrann aśhnangachchhan svapañśhvasan pralapan visṛijan gṛihṇann unmiṣhan nimiṣhann api indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣhu vartanta iti dhārayan
Word Meanings
na—not; eva—certainly; kiñchit—anything; karomi—I do; iti—thus; yuktaḥ—steadfast in karm yog; manyeta—thinks; tattva-vit—one who knows the truth; paśhyan—seeing; śhṛiṇvan—hearing; spṛiśhan—touching; jighran—smelling; aśhnan—eating; gachchhan—moving; svapan—sleeping; śhvasan—breathing; pralapan—talking; visṛijan—giving up; gṛihṇan—accepting; unmiṣhan—opening (the eyes); nimiṣhan—closing (the eyes); api—although; indriyāṇi—the senses; indriya-artheṣhu—in sense-objects; vartante—moving; iti—thus; dhārayan—convinced
Translation
The person who knows the Truth, though engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping, or breathing, remains established in the conviction that he does nothing at all.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse teaches the profound psychological detachment of the soul from the body's activities. While the physical senses and organs interact with the material world, the awakened soul realizes that these actions belong to the nature of the gunas (modes of nature) rather than the True Self. By observing life as a witness rather than an 'actor,' one achieves liberation from the binding consequences of karma. This shift in perspective transforms every mundane activity into an act of meditation, liberating the individual from the ego-driven burden of ownership. Ultimately, it invites the seeker to recognize their essence as pure consciousness, untouched by the turbulence of worldly existence.