Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 23

Chapter 4 – Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः ।
यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥

Transliteration

gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacetasaḥ .
yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṃ pravilīyate ॥

Meaning

For one whose attachment is gone, who is free, whose mind is firmly established in knowledge, and who acts only for the sake of sacrifice, the whole of his action dissolves completely.

Word meanings

गतसङ्गस्य – of one whose attachment has gone
मुक्तस्य – of one who is free (from bonds such as attachment and aversion)
ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः – of one whose mind is established in knowledge
यज्ञाय – for the sake of sacrifice, for the Lord
आचरतः – of one who acts
कर्म – action
समग्रम् – entire, together with its results
प्रविलीयते – dissolves completely, melts away

Anvaya (word order)

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः यज्ञाय आचरतः (पुरुषस्य) समग्रं कर्म प्रविलीयते ।

Explanation

This verse sums up the description of the sage that has run from 4.19. Krishna gives four epithets that complete the portrait and then states the result: all his action dissolves. ‘Gata-sanga’ — one whose attachment is gone; ‘mukta’ — one who is free from bonds; ‘jnanavasthita-chetas’ — one whose mind is firmly settled in knowledge; and ‘yajnaya acharatah’ — one who acts only for the sake of sacrifice.

The word ‘yajna’ is crucial here, for it becomes the theme of the verses that follow. In Chapter 3 (3.9) Krishna had already said that action not done as sacrifice binds a person. Shankara notes that ‘yajna’ can also mean Vishnu, the Lord who is Himself sacrifice — so the phrase means action done for the Lord's sake, not for one's own. Ramanuja reads it as one who performs sacrifice and other duties as a means of moving towards knowledge of the Self.

‘Samagram praviliyate’ — the whole of it dissolves. The prefix ‘pra’ shows that the dissolution is total: no portion of the action, no lingering impression, remains to bear fruit later and bind. Just as a lump of salt dissolved in water can no longer be seen, the sage's actions, though outwardly real, lose their binding form.

Thus the idea of ‘inaction in action’ introduced in 4.18 finds its full explanation here. A question naturally arises: why does action done as sacrifice not bind? The answer comes in the famous next verse, ‘brahmarpanam’, which reveals the vision of the sage in whose eyes every part of the act is Brahman.

Context

In 4.22 Krishna said that one who is content, beyond the opposites and even-minded is not bound even when acting. This verse is the conclusion of the description begun in 4.19: the actions of a free person who works for the sake of sacrifice dissolve entirely. In the next verse (4.24) Krishna explains that such a sage sees Brahman in every element of the sacrifice.

Life lesson

Work done only for selfish ends leaves a residue of burden and impressions on the mind; work done as service to God and the world leaves the mind lighter. Turn your daily tasks into ‘yajna’ — do them as an offering.

Key terms

Gata-sanga: one whose attachment has ended
Jnanavasthita-chetas: one whose mind is established in Self-knowledge
Yajna: action done as an offering to God and for the good of all
Pravilaya: complete dissolution; total loss of action's binding power