Bhagavad Gita 18.11 meaningLetting go — and standing up
In simple wordsSo simple a child gets it
“You can’t stop doing things. But you can let go of the results.”
What it means
“As long as you have a body, you can't give up action completely. The one who lets go of the results is the true renunciant.”
The original Sanskrit
न हि देहभृता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः । यस्तु कर्मफलत्यागी स त्यागीत्यभिधीयते ॥
na hi dehabhṛtā śakyaṃ tyaktuṃ karmāṇyaśeṣataḥ yastu karmaphalatyāgī sa tyāgītyabhidhīyate
Translations
Literal translation
Since it is not possible for one who holds on to a body to give up actions entirely, therefore he, on the other hand, who renounces results on actions is called a man of renunciation.
Swami Gambhirananda
हिंदी अनुवाद
क्योंकि देहधारी पुरुष के द्वारा अशेष कर्मों का त्याग संभव नहीं है, इसलिए जो कर्मफल त्यागी है, वही पुरुष त्यागी कहा जाता है।
Swami Tejomayananda
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Commentaries
How great teachers across 1,200 years have explained this verse.
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Keep reading · 18.12“Results — pleasant, unpleasant or mixed — follow those who haven't let go, even after death. But never those who have.”