Bhagavad Gita — Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Shloka 45
Moksha Sannyasa Yoga
स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः । स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु ॥ १८.४५ ॥
sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ saṃsiddhiṃ labhate naraḥ | sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṃ yathā vindati tac chṛṇu || 18.45 ||
Engaged in one’s own duty, a person attains perfection. How, devoted to his own work, he attains that perfection—hear that.
अपने-अपने कर्म में लगा हुआ मनुष्य परम सिद्धि को प्राप्त होता है। अपने कर्म में निरत रहकर वह सिद्धि कैसे पाता है, वह सुनो।
A person devoted to his own work attains full accomplishment; how one devoted to one’s own work finds perfection—hear that.
‘Saṃsiddhi/siddhi’ can mean practical excellence, moral-spiritual maturation, or a step toward liberation depending on commentary. The verse is programmatic for karma-yoga: perfection through rightly performed duty.
FAQs
It highlights the motivational power of congruence: sustained engagement in fitting responsibilities supports mastery and reduces inner fragmentation.
Perfection here can be read as purification of mind through disciplined action, preparing for knowledge and liberation; work becomes a means of inner transformation.
After listing duties by role, Krishna emphasizes that fulfillment is attainable through sincere performance of one’s own work, not by imitating another’s.
The verse supports a craft-ethic: do one’s responsibilities with care and steadiness, focusing on quality and purpose rather than constant comparison.