Bhagavad Gita 3.17-18

Sanskrit

यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः । आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥3.17॥नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन । न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥3.18॥

Transliteration

yastvātmaratireva syādātmatṛptaśca mānavaḥ | ātmanyeva ca santuṣṭastasya kāryaṃ na vidyate ‖3.17‖ naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana | na cāsya sarvabhūteṣu kaścidarthavyapāśrayaḥ ‖3.18‖

Meaning

“But the person who delights only in the Self, who is satisfied in the Self, content in the Self alone, for that one there is nothing that must be done. Such a person has no purpose to gain by action done or left undone, and no dependence on any being for any object.”

Key learning

A person who is truly content from the inside doesn't need anything from doing or not doing things, and doesn't depend on others to feel okay. But that is a very high state, and most people aren't actually there yet. Until you really are, your normal duties still matter.

How to apply this today

Be honest about whether your "I don't care about results" is real or just an excuse. If you say you're above ambition but still get hurt when no one notices you, it isn't real yet. True inner peace makes you need less from people while giving more. Do this: keep doing your duties until calm genuinely comes from inside, not from a story you tell yourself.

Theme: The Yoga of Action

This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3: Karma Yoga , read all verses in this chapter.

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