Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 20

Chapter 4 – Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः ।
कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः ॥

Transliteration

tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ .
karmaṇyabhipravṛtto.api naiva kiñcitkaroti saḥ ॥

Meaning

Having given up attachment to the fruit of action, ever content and dependent on nothing, he does nothing at all, though fully engaged in action.

Word meanings

त्यक्त्वा – having given up
कर्मफलासङ्गम् – attachment to the fruit of action
नित्यतृप्तः – ever content, satisfied in the Self
निराश्रयः – dependent on nothing, without any worldly prop
कर्मणि – in action
अभिप्रवृत्तः – fully engaged
अपि – even though
न – not
एव – at all
किञ्चित् – anything
करोति – does
सः – he

Anvaya (word order)

(यः) कर्मफलासङ्गं त्यक्त्वा नित्यतृप्तः निराश्रयः (भवति), सः कर्मणि अभिप्रवृत्तः अपि किञ्चित् न एव करोति ।

Explanation

In the previous verse Krishna described the sage's actions as free from desire. In this verse He paints the sage's inner state, naming three qualities: renunciation of attachment to results, constant contentment, and dependence on nothing. Because of these, ‘karmany abhipravritto'pi naiva kinchit karoti sah’ — though fully engaged in action, he does nothing at all.

‘Tyaktva karma-phalasangam’ — having given up attachment to the fruit of action. Note that Krishna speaks of giving up attachment to the fruit, not giving up the action. This is the spirit of the famous verse of Chapter 2 (2.47): your right is to the work, never to its fruits.

‘Nitya-triptah’ — ever content. Such a person is satisfied not by external things but by the Self (like the ‘atma-tripta’ of 3.17). One who has found fullness within no longer hungers for anything from outside. ‘Nirashrayah’ — dependent on nothing. Shankara explains: one who does not make any means to any seen or unseen end the support of his happiness. He does not rest his peace on wealth, position or praise. Ramanuja sees here one who does not take nature and the body as his support but abides in the Self alone.

Such a person, though acting, is a non-doer, for he has neither the ego of doership nor craving for results. Shankara observes that for such a sage, acting or not acting is the same; and if he does act for the welfare of the world, those actions do not bind him. This is the living example of ‘inaction in action’ described in 4.18.

Context

In 4.19 Krishna said that the sage's undertakings are free from desire and selfish intent. Here He says that one who has given up attachment to results, is ever content and dependent on nothing, does nothing even while acting. In the next verse (4.21) He says that such a person, doing only what the body requires, incurs no sin.

Life lesson

When our happiness rests on results, on people's opinions or on possessions, every task turns into stress. Learn to be content within — then you can work wholeheartedly, and the weight of work will not crush you.

Key terms

Karma-phalasanga: attachment to the fruit of action
Nitya-tripta: ever content, satisfied in the Self
Nirashraya: one who depends on no external prop for his peace