Chapter 4: Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga, verse 23
गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः।
यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥
Say itgata-saṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthita-chetasaḥ
yajñāyācharataḥ karma samagraṁ pravilīyate
Translation
To one who is devoid of attachment, who is liberated, whose mind is established in knowledge, and who works for the sake of sacrifice (for the sake of God), the whole action is dissolved.
Swami Sivananda
The liberated person, who has rid themselves of attachment and whose mind is fixed in knowledge, has their actions undertaken for a sacrifice completely destroyed.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
One whose attachments have been relinquished, who is liberated, whose mind is established in knowledge, and who works only for sacrifices—their Karma is entirely dissolved.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
The action is completely dissolved in the case of the person who undertakes it for the sake of sacrifice; who is free from attachment and has been liberated; and whose mind is fixed in wisdom.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
He who is without attachment, free, his mind centered in wisdom, and his actions done as a sacrifice, leave no trace behind.
Shri Purohit Swami
जिसकी आसक्ति सर्वथा मिट गयी है, जो मुक्त हो गया है, जिसकी बुद्धि स्वरूपके ज्ञानमें स्थित है, ऐसे केवल यज्ञके लिये कर्म करनेवाले मनुष्यके सम्पूर्ण कर्म विलीन हो जाते हैं।
Swami Ramsukhdas
जो आसक्तिरहित और मुक्त है, जिसका चित्त ज्ञान में स्थित है, यज्ञ के लिये आचरण करने वाले ऐसे पुरुष के समस्त कर्म लीन हो जाते हैं।
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.
Speaks to
सङ्ग AttachmentCultivates
वैराग्य Non-attachmentConnected verses
is echoed in 4.19