Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 6 · Dhyana Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 6.1 अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः
श्लोक 6.1
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः ।
स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः ॥
śrībhagavānuvāca |
anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥ |
sa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ ||
हिन्दी अर्थ
श्रीभगवान ने कहा: जो कर्मफल का सहारा लिए बिना अपना कर्तव्य कर्म करता है, वही सच्चा संन्यासी और योगी है। केवल यज्ञ की अग्नि छोड़ देने वाला या कर्म त्याग देने वाला संन्यासी नहीं होता।
Meaning in English
The Blessed Lord said: One who performs the work that ought to be done, without depending on its results, is truly both a renunciate and a yogi - not the one who merely gives up the sacred fire or abstains from activity.
Bhagavad Gita 6.1 — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| श्रीभगवान् उवाच | śrībhagavān uvāca | the Blessed Lord said |
| अनाश्रितः | anāśritaḥ | not depending on |
| कर्मफलम् | karma-phalam | the fruit of action |
| कार्यम् | kāryam | that which ought to be done |
| कर्म | karma | action, work |
| करोति | karoti | performs |
| यः | yaḥ | who |
| सः | saḥ | he |
| संन्यासी | saṃnyāsī | a renunciant |
| च | ca | and |
| योगी | yogī | a yogi |
| च | ca | also |
| न निरग्निः | na niragniḥ | not one who has merely given up the sacred fire |
| न च अक्रियः | na ca akriyaḥ | nor one who merely does no work |
Explanation
Krishna says: whoever does the work that ought to be done, without leaning on its fruit, is both a renunciant and a yogi. The true renunciant is not the one who has simply stopped tending the sacred fire, nor the one who has simply stopped acting.
Chapter 6, the chapter of meditation, opens by tying together the threads of Chapters 3 to 5: renunciation is an inner letting-go, not an outward giving-up. 'Niragni' refers to the formal sannyasi who abandons the household fires of Vedic ritual. Shankara reads the verse as praise of karma yoga as a stepping stone, calling the selfless worker a renunciant by way of honour, while full sannyasa remains for the knower. Ramanuja and Tilak read it more directly: selfless action itself contains the essence of renunciation.
भावार्थ
श्रीभगवान बोले — जो कर्मफल का आश्रय लिए बिना करने योग्य कर्म करता है, वही संन्यासी है और वही योगी है। केवल अग्नि का त्याग कर देने वाला या केवल कर्म छोड़ देने वाला संन्यासी नहीं होता।
Living it today
Renunciation can happen at your desk: do the task that needs doing today without clinging to praise or reward, and you are practising it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 6.1?
Krishna says: whoever does the work that ought to be done, without leaning on its fruit, is both a renunciant and a yogi. The true renunciant is not the one who has simply stopped tending the sacred fire, nor the one who has simply stopped acting.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 6.1?
Sri Krishna speaks this verse, in Chapter 6 (Dhyana Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 6.1 in daily life?
Renunciation can happen at your desk: do the task that needs doing today without clinging to praise or reward, and you are practising it.
Reflected on verse 6.1?
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