Contact: +91 844 894 1008
bgwebsite_logo
Bhagavad Gita
The Song of God

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 12, Verse 11

अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रित: |
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं तत: कुरु यतात्मवान् || 11||

athaitad apy aśhakto ’si kartuṁ mad-yogam āśhritaḥ
sarva-karma-phala-tyāgaṁ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān

athaif; etatthis; apieven; aśhaktaḥunable; asiyou are; kartumto work; mad-yogamwith devotion to Me; āśhritaḥtaking refuge; sarva-karmaof all actions; phala-tyāgamto renounce the fruits; tataḥthen; kurudo; yata-ātma-vānbe situated in the self

Translation

BG 12.11: If you are unable to even work for Me in devotion, then try to renounce the fruits of your actions and be situated in the self.

Commentary

Beginning with verse 12.8, Shree Krishna gave three ways for Arjun’s welfare.  In the third, He asked Arjun to work for Him.  However, that also requires a purified and resolute intellect.  Those who are not yet convinced about their relationship with God, and have not yet made God-realization the goal of their lives, may find it impossible to work for His pleasure.  Therefore, Shree Krishna now gives the fourth alternative for welfare.  He says, “Arjun keep doing your works as before, but become detached from the fruits of your actions.”  Such detachment will purify our mind from the modes of ignorance (tamas) and passion (rajas), and bring it to the mode of goodness (sattva).  In this way, renouncing the fruits of our efforts will help remove worldliness from our mind and strengthen the intellect.  Then, the purified intellect will more easily be able to comprehend transcendental knowledge, and we will be able to move to the higher levels of sādhanā

Bookmark this Verse

Sign in to save your favorite verses.

Add a Note
Swami Mukundananda
12. Bhakti Yog
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Quick Jump to Any Verse

Navigate directly to the wisdom you seek

Book with feather

Stay Connected!

Verse of the Day

Start your day with the timeless inspiring wisdom from the Holy Bhagavad Gita delivered straight to your email!

Thanks for subscribing to "Bhagavad Gita - Verse of the Day"!