Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 45

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः ।
स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु ॥

Transliteration

sve sve karmaṇyabhirataḥ saṃsiddhiṃ labhate naraḥ .
svakarmanirataḥ siddhiṃ yathā vindati tacchṛṇu ॥

Meaning

Each person, devoted to his own duty, attains perfection. Hear now how one devoted to his own duty attains that perfection.

Word meanings

स्वे स्वे – each in his own
कर्मणि – in duty, work
अभिरतः – devoted, delighting in
संसिद्धिम् – perfection
लभते – attains
नरः – a person
स्वकर्मनिरतः – engaged in his own duty
सिद्धिम् – perfection
यथा – how
विन्दति – attains
तत् – that
शृणु – hear

Anvaya (word order)

स्वे स्वे कर्मणि अभिरतः नरः संसिद्धिं लभते; स्वकर्मनिरतः यथा सिद्धिं विन्दति, तत् शृणु ।

Explanation

Having described the natural duties of the four varnas, Krishna now reveals the spiritual purpose of the whole discussion: sve sve karmany abhiratah samsiddhim labhate narah — each person devoted to his own duty attains perfection. This is a revolutionary declaration of the Gita. Liberation is not reserved for renunciants, scholars or ascetics alone. The farmer, the merchant, the soldier, the teacher, the labourer — every person can reach life's highest attainment through his or her own natural work.

The word abhirata is especially beautiful. It means not merely 'engaged' but 'engaged with love and eagerness'. One who does his work as a burden, complaining all the while, does not reach perfection. But one who immerses himself in his work with joy and dedication finds that his work itself becomes his spiritual practice.

The acharyas interpret samsiddhi in different ways. For Shankara, performing one's own duty destroys impurity, and the person with a purified mind attains fitness for the discipline of knowledge, the qualification for Self-knowledge; this is the 'perfection' meant here, which then leads on to liberation. Ramanuja sees it as a direct means to the supreme state, because one's own duty is worship of the Lord. Madhva too holds that one's duty offered to the Lord grants liberation through devotion.

The second half awakens curiosity: svakarma-niratah siddhim yatha vindati tac chrinu — hear how one devoted to his own duty attains perfection. How can ordinary work grant liberation? The secret is revealed in the next verse: when work becomes worship of God.

This verse is deeply inspiring for modern life. We need not abandon our work and flee somewhere to be spiritual. The office, field, shop, school or hospital where we work is itself our place of pilgrimage — provided we do our work with love, sincerity and dedication.

Context

The preceding verses (18.41–44) described the natural duties of the four varnas. This verse states that one devoted to his own duty attains perfection. In the next verse (18.46) Krishna explains how — by worshipping the Supreme through one's work.

Life lesson

You do not need to leave your work to become spiritual — your field of work is your field of practice. Do your work with love and sincerity, not as a burden to complain about. For one wholly absorbed in duty, every day becomes sadhana.

Key terms

Svakarma: One's own duty, according to one's nature
Abhirata: Devoted with love and eagerness
Samsiddhi: Perfection — purity of mind, fitness for knowledge, or liberation
Svakarma-nirata: Constantly engaged in one's own duty