Chapter 4 · Verse 23

Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः। यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते
gata-saṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthita-chetasaḥ yajñāyācharataḥ karma samagraṁ pravilīyate

Word Meanings

gata-saṅgasya — free from material attachments; muktasya — of the liberated; jñāna-avasthita — established in divine knowledge; chetasaḥ — whose intellect; yajñāya — as a sacrifice (to God); ācharataḥ — performing; karma — action; samagram — completely; pravilīyate — are freed

Translation

For one who is free from attachment, who is liberated, whose mind is established in knowledge, and who acts solely as a sacrifice—all karma is entirely dissolved.

Commentary

गतसङ्गस्य one who is devoid of attachment? मुक्तस्य of the liberated? ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः whose mind is established in knowledge? यज्ञाय for sacrifice? आचरतः acting? कर्म action? समग्रम् whole? प्रविलीयते is dissolved.Commentary One who is free from attachment? who is liberated from the bonds of Karma? whose mind is centred and rooted in wisdom? who performs actions for the sake of sacrifice? in order to please the Lord -- all his actions with their results melt away. His actions are reduced to nothing. They are? in fact? no actions at all.