Path of Selfless Service
Verse 3.22
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन। नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि।।3.22।।
na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ triṣhu lokeṣhu kiñchana nānavāptam avāptavyaṁ varta eva cha karmaṇi
Word Meanings
na—not; me—mine; pārtha—Arjun; asti—is; kartavyam—duty; triṣhu—in the three; lokeṣhu—worlds; kiñchana—any; na—not; anavāptam—to be attained; avāptavyam—to be gained; varte—I am engaged; eva—yet; cha—also; karmaṇi—in prescribed duties
Translation · English
There is nothing in the three worlds, O Arjuna, that needs to be done by Me, nor is there anything unattained that needs to be attained; yet I engage Myself in action.
Deep Meaning · English
In this pivotal verse, Lord Krishna unveils the mystery of divine action, positioning Himself as the ultimate paradigm for the karma-yogi. By declaring that He has nothing to gain or achieve in the three worlds, He reveals the nature of 'Lila'—divine play. Unlike the conditioned soul who acts out of need, ego, or the desire for results, the Lord acts out of the sheer abundance of His own fullness (purnatva). His involvement in the cosmic order is not a compulsion but a spontaneous expression of love and grace intended to maintain the equilibrium of the universe (lokasamgraha). This paradox—being both the transcendental Absolute and the active participant in the battlefield—challenges the seeker to transform their own work. Krishna teaches that when one moves beyond personal expectation and the anxiety of outcome, action ceases to be a burden and becomes a consecrated offering. To act as He acts is to align oneself with the rhythm of the cosmos, turning duty into a form of sacred worship. It is the dissolution of the 'doer' identity, where one recognizes that the Source of all work is already complete, needing nothing, yet sustaining everything.
True freedom in action is found not in avoiding duty, but in performing it without the illusion of personal lack or the hunger for personal gain.
Connected Verses
Affirms that even the performance of daily duties must be done with the understanding that they are acts of sacrifice, free from attachment.
Highlights the practice of surrendering every action to the Divine, mirroring Krishna's own state of acting without egoic ownership.
Reinforces that the Lord is unaffected by the fruits of action because He is untouched by the desires that fuel the cycle of karma.
Establishes the foundation of Karma Yoga by separating the right to work from the entitlement to the results.
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