Bhagavad Gita 18.9
Spoken by Krishna ☆ Key verse · Verse 9 of 78
कार्यम् इत्य् एव यत् कर्म नियतं क्रियते ऽर्जुन । सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः ॥
kāryam ity eva yat karma niyataṃ kriyate 'rjuna | saṅgaṃ tyaktvā phalaṃ caiva sa tyāgaḥ sāttviko mataḥ ||
Sāttvic tyāga: niyata karma done ONLY because 'this must be done,' having abandoned attachment and fruit.
Word by word (3)
- kāryam ity eva yat karma niyataṃ kriyate 'rjuna
- — the prescribed/niyata (niyatam) action (karma) that is performed (kriyate) O Arjuna, ONLY with the conviction 'this must be done' (kāryam ity eva = it is to be done — thus only) — the sāttvic motivation is pure duty-sense: 'this must be done' not 'I will gain from this'
- saṅgaṃ tyaktvā phalaṃ caiva sa tyāgaḥ sāttviko mataḥ
- — having abandoned (tyaktvā) attachment (saṅgam) and also (ca eva) fruit (phalam) — that (sa) tyāga is considered (mataḥ = regarded) sāttvic (sāttvika) — the double release: attachment to the act itself + expectation of fruit from it
- kāryam ity eva
- — only thus: 'it is to be done' — the sāttvic tyāga's inner voice is precisely this simple: not 'I want to,' not 'I fear punishment if I don't,' but 'this is duty and duty must be performed.' The eva (only) is emphatic: the SOLE motivation is duty itself
When prescribed action is performed, O Arjuna, only because it ought to be done, having abandoned attachment and also fruit — that tyāga is considered sāttvic.
A modern analogy
Sāttvic tyāga is the inner posture of a firefighter who runs into a burning building — not thinking about the danger to themselves, not thinking about a reward or recognition, simply because 'this must be done.' The kāryam ity eva is the clean, clear motivation. The dual saṅga-phala tyāga means: not attached to being 'the heroic firefighter' AND not thinking 'I'll get a citation for this.'
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
MISSING from index. [1]
When obligatory work is performed, O Arjuna, only because it ought to be done, leaving attachment and fruit, such relinquishment is regarded as Sattvika. [4]
When prescribed action is performed, O Arjuna! abandoning attachment and fruit also, merely because it ought to be performed, that is deemed a good abandonment. [9]
Regarding it as one that should be done, when work that is prescribed in the scriptures is done, O Arjuna, abandoning attachment and fruit also, that abandonment is deemed to be of the quality of goodness. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Sāttvic yajña: performed as ordained, without fruit-desire, with the conviction 'this must be done.'
Hear My definitive word on tyāga, O best of Bharatas — tyāga has been declared three-fold, O tiger among men.
The unattached-minded, self-conquered, desire-free one attains supreme naiskarmya-siddhi through sannyāsa.
Even yajña-dāna-tapas must be performed having abandoned attachment and fruits — My settled, highest opinion.
Learn these five causes of all action from Me, O Mighty-armed — as declared in the Sāṃkhya final teaching.
Sannyāsa = abandoning desire-motivated action; tyāga = abandoning fruits of ALL action — say the learned.
Verse 9 of 78 · back to Chapter 18