Chapter 5: Karma Sanyasa Yoga, verse 8
नैव किंचित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित्।
पश्यन् श्रृणवन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपन् श्वसन् ॥
Say itnaiva kiñchit karomīti yukto manyeta tattva-vit
paśhyañ śhṛiṇvan spṛiśhañjighrann aśhnangachchhan svapañśhvasan
pralapan visṛijan gṛihṇann unmiṣhan nimiṣhann api
indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣhu vartanta iti dhārayan
Translation
I do nothing at all," thus would the harmonized knower of Truth think, seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, and breathing.
Swami Sivananda
Remaining absorbed in the Self, the knower of Reality should think, 'I certainly do not do anything', even while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping, breathing, speaking, releasing, holding, opening, and closing the eyes—remembering that the organs function in relation to the objects of the organs.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
The one who knows the truth and is devoted to yoga should think, "I am not doing anything," even though they are seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping, and breathing.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
A master of Yoga, knowing the reality, would think, 'I do not perform any action at all.' For, he who, while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, and breathing;
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
Though the saint sees, hears, touches, smells, eats, moves, sleeps, and breathes, yet he knows the truth and knows that it is not he who acts.
Shri Purohit Swami
तत्त्वको जाननेवाला सांख्ययोगी देखता, सुनता, छूता, सूँघता, खाता, चलता, ग्रहण करता, बोलता, मल-मूत्र का त्याग करता, सोता, श्वास लेता तथा आँखें खोलता और मूँदता भी सम्पूर्ण इन्द्रियाँ इन्द्रियोंके विषयोंमें बरत रही हैं' -- ऐसा समझकर 'मैं (स्वयं) कुछ भी नहीं करता हूँ' -- ऐसा माने।
Swami Ramsukhdas
तत्त्ववित् युक्त पुरुष यह सोचेगा (अर्थात् जानता है) कि "मैं किंचित् मात्र कर्म नहीं करता हूँ" देखता हुआ, सुनता हुआ, स्पर्श करता हुआ, सूंघता हुआ, खाता हुआ, चलता हुआ, सोता हुआ, श्वास लेता हुआ,।
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
दर्प PrideCultivates
अमानित्व HumilityConnected verses
is echoed in 18.15Ideas
कर्म karma