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Bhagavad Gita 18.9 meaningLetting go — and standing up

In simple wordsSo simple a child gets it

“Doing what’s right, without clinging — that is true letting go.”

What it means

“Doing what needs to be done simply because it is right, while letting go of attachment and results — that is clear renunciation.”

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The original Sanskrit

कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन । सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः ॥

kāryamityeva yatkarma niyataṃ kriyate.arjuna saṅgaṃ tyaktvā phalaṃ caiva sa tyāgaḥ sāttviko mataḥ

Translations

Literal translation

Whatever obligatory duty is performed just because it is a bounden duty, O Arjuna, by giving up attachment and the result as well,-that renunciation is considered to be based on sattva.

Swami Gambhirananda

हिंदी अनुवाद

हे अर्जुन ! "कर्म करना कर्तव्य है" ऐसा समझकर जो नियत कर्म आसक्ति और फल को त्यागकर किया जाता है, वही सात्त्विक त्याग माना गया 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 · 18.10“A wise person filled with clarity and free of doubt doesn't hate unpleasant work or cling to pleasant work.”