Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 56

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

सर्वकर्माण्यपि सदा कुर्वाणो मद्व्यपाश्रयः ।
मत्प्रसादादवाप्नोति शाश्वतं पदमव्ययम् ॥

Transliteration

sarvakarmāṇyapi sadā kurvāṇo madvyapāśrayaḥ .
matprasādādavāpnoti śāśvataṃ padamavyayam ॥

Meaning

Though always performing all actions, one who takes refuge in me attains by my grace the eternal, imperishable abode.

Word meanings

सर्वकर्माणि – all actions
अपि – even
सदा – always
कुर्वाणः – performing
मद्व्यपाश्रयः – taking complete refuge in me
मत्प्रसादात् – by my grace
अवाप्नोति – attains
शाश्वतम् – eternal
पदम् – abode, state
अव्ययम् – imperishable

Anvaya (word order)

मद्व्यपाश्रयः सदा सर्वकर्माणि अपि कुर्वाणः मत्प्रसादात् शाश्वतम् अव्ययं पदम् अवाप्नोति ।

Explanation

The path described in the preceding verses (18.49–55) — actionlessness, solitude, meditation, dispassion — is lofty and demanding. A natural question arises: can only those who leave the world and meditate in solitude reach the supreme goal? In this verse Krishna gives a compassionate and accessible answer: sarva-karmany api sada kurvano mad-vyapashrayah — even while always performing all actions, if one takes refuge in me, one too attains the supreme abode.

In mad-vyapashrayah the prefixes vi and apa convey the completeness of refuge: depending wholly and in every way on me — not on one's own plans, strength or cleverness, but on the Lord. Shankara says such a devotee offers all his actions to the Lord and regards him alone as his refuge. Ramanuja notes that 'all actions' here includes daily, occasional and even desire-prompted acts — everything done as worship of the Lord.

The most important word in the verse is mat-prasadat — by my grace. Attaining the supreme state is ultimately not a reward earned by the seeker's effort but a gift of the Lord's grace. The seeker's part is to take refuge and offer his work; grace does the rest. This also dissolves ego, for the seeker knows that his attainment is not his own achievement but the Lord's gift.

Shashvatam padam avyayam — the eternal, imperishable abode. This is the state or abode that never perishes, from which there is no return. Thus the verse gives hope and assurance to the householder and the active seeker living in the world: their path too reaches the highest goal.

Context

The preceding verses described the path by which the meditative seeker reaches the supreme. This verse says that the active devotee who takes refuge in the Lord also attains that same abode by his grace. In the next verse (18.57) Krishna directly instructs Arjuna to adopt this very path.

Life lesson

Reaching the Divine does not require leaving the world; taking refuge in him while doing all your work is enough. Trust God's grace more than your own strength. For one who seeks refuge wholeheartedly, he himself completes the journey.

Key terms

Mad-vyapashraya: Taking complete refuge in the Lord
Prasada: Divine grace
Shashvata pada: The eternal abode or supreme state
Avyaya: Imperishable