Bhagavad Gita 5.12 meaningFreedom while fully engaged
In simple wordsSo simple a child gets it
“Let go of rewards and you find peace. Cling to them and you get stuck.”
What it means
“Someone centred, who lets go of the results, finds lasting peace. Someone driven by desire and clinging to results becomes trapped.”
The original Sanskrit
युक्तः कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिमाप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम् । अयुक्तः कामकारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते ॥
yuktaḥ karmaphalaṃ tyaktvā śāntimāpnoti naiṣṭhikīm ayuktaḥ kāmakāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate
Translations
Literal translation
Giving up the result of work by becoming resolute in faith, one attains Peace arising from steadfastness. One who is lacking in resolute faith, being attached to the result under the impulsion of desire, becomes bound.
Swami Gambhirananda
हिंदी अनुवाद
युक्त पुरुष कर्मफल का त्याग करके परम शान्ति को प्राप्त होता है; और अयुक्त पुरुष फल में आसक्त हुआ कामना के द्वारा बँधता 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 · 5.13“A self-controlled person, mentally letting go of all actions, lives happily in this body — this ‘city of nine gates’ — neither doing nor making anyone else do.”