Shloka 3

अक्षरब्रह्मयोग (Akṣara-Brahma-Yoga) — Knowledge of the Imperishable, Prakṛti, and Devotion

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवान्‌ बोले--कर्मसंन्यास और कर्मयोग--ये दोनों ही परम कल्याणके करनेवाले हैं, परंतु उन दोनोंमें भी कर्मसंन्याससे कर्मयोग साधनमें सुगम होनेसे श्रेष्ठ हैः ।।

Transliteration

jñeyaḥ sa nityasaṃnyāsī yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati | nirdvandvo hi mahābāho sukhaṃ bandhāt pramucyate ||

Translation

The Blessed Lord said: “Know that person to be a perpetual renunciant who neither hates nor craves. Free from the pairs of opposites, O mighty-armed one, he is released with ease from the bondage of the world.”

Word by Word

• ज्ञेयः: to be known / should be regarded
• ज्ञेयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, तव्यत् (gerundive/passive potential)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यसंन्यासी: a perpetual renunciant
• नित्यसंन्यासी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्यसंन्यासी
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• द्वेष्टि: hates
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्विष्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• न: nor / not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• काङ्क्षति: desires / longs for
• Type: Verb
• Root: काङ्क्ष्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• निर्द्वन्द्वः: free from pairs of opposites
• निर्द्वन्द्वः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्द्वन्द्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• महाबाहो: O mighty-armed one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सुखम्: easily / happily
• सुखम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बन्धात्: from bondage
• बन्धात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• प्रमुच्यते: is freed / is released
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + मुच्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada (passive sense)

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna (mahābāhu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True renunciation is primarily internal: one who neither hates nor craves is to be regarded as an ever-renunciant. Freedom from the push-pull of opposites (likes/dislikes, gain/loss) makes liberation from bondage easy, even amid action.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Gita discourse on the battlefield, the teaching clarifies that the spiritual goal is not merely abandoning work, but abandoning attachment and aversion. Arjuna is instructed that equanimity and non-reactivity are the marks of genuine renunciation.