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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 21

Knowledge and the Renunciation of Action

निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः। शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्

nirāśhīr yata-chittātmā tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ śhārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣham

What does Bhagavad Gita 4.21 mean?

Expecting nothing, his mind and personality controlled, without greed, doing only bodily actions; though he acts, he remains untainted.

Word-by-word meaning

nirāśhīḥ—free from expectations · yata—controlled · chitta-ātmā—mind and intellect · tyakta—having abandoned · sarva—all · parigrahaḥ—the sense of ownership · śhārīram—bodily · kevalam—only · karma—actions · kurvan—performing · na—never · āpnoti—incurs · kilbiṣham—sin

dutydetachmentpleasurerenunciationmindactionkarmacontrol

Tell Krishna how this verse meets your life