Path of Meditation
Verse 6.1
श्री भगवानुवाच अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः। स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः।।6.1।।
śhrī bhagavān uvācha anāśhritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ sa sannyāsī cha yogī cha na niragnir na chākriyaḥ
Word Meanings
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Lord said; anāśhritaḥ—not desiring; karma-phalam—results of actions; kāryam—obligatory; karma—work; karoti—perform; yaḥ—one who; saḥ—that person; sanyāsī—in the renounced order; cha—and; yogī—yogi; cha—and; na—not; niḥ—without; agniḥ—fire; na—not; cha—also; akriyaḥ—without activity
Translation · English
The Blessed Lord said: He who performs his bounden duty without depending on the fruits of his actions—he is a sannyasi and a yogi, not he who is without fire and without action.
Deep Meaning · English
In this pivotal verse, Lord Krishna revolutionizes the concept of renunciation. Arjuna, grappling with the fear that spiritual liberation requires the abandonment of worldly duty, is here corrected by the Divine. True renunciation is not defined by the outward shedding of responsibilities or the physical extinguishing of sacrificial fires; rather, it is an internal recalibration of the intellect. When an individual performs their duty (karyam karma) as a sacred offering without attachment to the outcome, they transcend the duality of 'doing' and 'not doing.' This is the state of the true sannyasi, who possesses the inner stillness of the yogi despite being engaged in the dynamic flow of life. Philosophically, this verse strikes at the heart of ego-centric action. By detaching from the 'fruits,' one severs the karmic chain that binds the soul to the cycle of rebirth. This is not mere passivity; it is an active, meditative immersion in the Divine. Krishna is teaching that the inner fire of awareness is more vital than any ritualistic fire (agni). By anchoring oneself in the Supreme, the seeker transforms every ordinary action into an act of worship, proving that one can walk through the burning battlefield of existence while remaining completely untouched by its flames.
True renunciation is not found in the cessation of external activities, but in the internal abandonment of attachment to the results of one's sacred duties.
Connected Verses
It clarifies that sannyasa involves relinquishing the desire for the fruits of action rather than the actions themselves.
It explicitly identifies Karma Yoga as superior to the physical renunciation of actions.
It highlights the necessity of dedicating all actions to the Divine as the key to liberation from mental agitation.
This verse reinforces the right to action while simultaneously prohibiting claims over its fruits.
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