Bhagavad-gītā 18.6
Read once with your eyes. Read again aloud.
एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च।कर्तव्यानीति मे पार्थ निश्िचतं मतमुत्तमम्।।18.6।।
etāny api tu karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalāni cha kartavyānīti me pārtha niśhchitaṁ matam uttamam
But they should be done with detachment and without thought of reward. This is my final judgement.
English rendering by Shri Purohit Swami. Each source voice remains named.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| etāni | these |
| api tu | must certainly be |
| karmāṇi | activities |
| saṅgam | attachment |
| tyaktvā | giving up |
| phalāni | rewards |
| cha | and |
| kartavyāni | should be done as duty |
| iti | such |
| me | my |
| pārtha | Arjun, the son of Pritha |
| niśhchitam | definite |
| matam | opinion |
| uttamam | supreme |
This is a summary of the doctrine of Karma Yoga enunciated before on several occasions. The fault of defect of Karma is certainly not in the action itself, but in the expectation of reward and attachment.
Attributed explanatory witness: Swami Sivananda. Chapter lens: Follow the great recapitulation through renunciation, action, knowledge, duty, devotion, refuge and Sañjaya’s conclusion.
Three named reading witnesses
Śaṅkara edition witness
Swami GambiranandaBut even these actions must be undertaken by renouncing attachment and hankering for results. This is My firm and definitive conclusion, O Partha.
Rāmānuja edition witness
Swami AdidevanandaIt is My decided and final view that even these acts should be done, O Arjuna, with relinquishment of attachment and the forsaking of the fruits thereof.
Sivananda commentary witness
Swami SivanandaThis is a summary of the doctrine of Karma Yoga enunciated before on several occasions. The fault of defect of Karma is certainly not in the action itself, but in the expectation of reward and attachment.
These are concise, attributed reading witnesses from identified editions. They are presented for comparison and are not merged into one anonymous interpretation.
Meaning map
Follow the thought
- 1
But they should be done with detachment and without thought of reward
- 2
This is my final judgement
- 3
etāni: these
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