Chapter 4: Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga, verse 22
यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः।
समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥
Say ityadṛichchhā-lābha-santuṣhṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ
samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau cha kṛitvāpi na nibadhyate
Translation
Content with what comes to him without effort, free from the pairs of opposites and envy, even-minded in success and failure, he acts yet is not bound.
Swami Sivananda
Remaining satisfied with what comes unasked for, having transcended the dualities, being free from spite, and balanced under success and failure, he is not bound even by performing actions.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
Content with what chance may bring, rising above the pairs of opposites, free from ill-will, even-minded in success and failure, he acts, yet is not bound.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
Remaining content with the gain brought by chance, transcending the dualities (pairs of opposites), entertaining no jealousy, and remaining equal in success and in failure, he does not get bound, even when he acts.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
Content with what comes to him without any effort of his own, rising above the pairs of opposites, free from envy, his mind balanced in both success and failure; though he acts, the consequences do not bind him.
Shri Purohit Swami
जो (कर्मयोगी) फल की इच्छा के बिना, अपने-आप जो कुछ मिल जाय, उसमें सन्तुष्ट रहता है और जो ईर्ष्यासे रहित, द्वन्द्वोंसे अतीत तथा सिद्धि और असिद्धिमें सम है, वह कर्म करते हुए भी उससे नहीं बँधता।
Swami Ramsukhdas
यदृच्छया (अपने आप) जो कुछ प्राप्त हो उसमें ही सन्तुष्ट रहने वाला, द्वन्द्वों से अतीत तथा मत्सर से रहित, सिद्धि व असिद्धि में समभाव वाला पुरुष कर्म करके भी नहीं बन्धता है।
Swami Tejomayananda
Classical commentariesFor deeper study. Most are in the original Sanskrit.
Advaita
Non-dual: the self and the absolute are one.
Vishishtadvaita
Qualified non-dual: souls are real parts of the divine.
Dvaita
Dual: the soul and God are eternally distinct.
Shuddhadvaita
Pure non-dual, centred on grace and devotion.
Kashmir Shaivism
The Gita read through Trika Shaiva philosophy.
Modern teachers
20th-century teachers writing for today's readers.
Verse map
How this verse connects to feelings, situations, ideas and other verses. Hover or tap to see why; these links are drafts awaiting review.