Bhagavad Gita — Karma Yoga, Shloka 30

Karma Yoga

Devanagari script

मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा । निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥ ३.३० ॥

Transliteration

mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi saṁnyasyādhyātma-cetasā | nirāśīr nirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigata-jvaraḥ || 3.30 ||

Translation

Entregando en Mí todas las acciones, con la mente centrada en el ātman, sin expectativa y sin sentido de posesión, cumple tu deber, libre de la fiebre interior.

Gita Press Meaning

Renouncing all actions in Me, with mind focused on the self, free from expectation and possessiveness, engage in your duty free from inner fever (anxiety).

Critical Edition Meaning

Having deposited all actions in Me, with inwardly oriented awareness, without hope and without ‘mine-ness,’ perform your role, free from agitation.

Comparative Note

Yudhyasva is contextually ‘perform your warrior-duty’; in non-graphic terms it can be read as ‘engage resolutely in your obligation.’ ‘Jvara’ is often interpreted as mental agitation rather than physical illness.

Word by Word

• मयि: in me
• मयि: Adhikarana
• Root: अस्मद्

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Karma
• Root: सर्व

• कर्माणि: actions
• कर्माणि: Karma
• Root: कर्मन्

• संन्यस्य: having renounced/laid down (by offering)
• Root: √अस् (न्यासे) उपसर्गः सम्+नि

• अध्यात्मचेतसा: with the mind intent on the Self (spiritualized mind)
• अध्यात्मचेतसा: Karana
• Root: अध्यात्मचेतस्

• निराशीः: free from expectation (of results)
• निराशीः: Karta
• Root: निराशी

• निर्ममः: without possessiveness
• निर्ममः: Karta
• Root: निर्मम

• भूत्वा: having become
• Root: √भू

• युध्यस्व: fight
• Root: √युध्

• विगतज्वरः: with fever (anxiety/agitation) gone
• विगतज्वरः: Karta
• Root: विगतज्वर

Speakers

• Krishna

Primary Concepts

• Īśvara-arpita karma (offering to the Lord)
• Niṣkāma Karma
• Adhyātma (inward orientation)

Key Themes

• Inner renunciation
• Freedom from possessiveness
• Composed engagement in duty

FAQs

Psychological significance?

It offers a method for reducing performance anxiety: shift focus from personal gain to principled action, letting outcomes be secondary.

Metaphysical meaning?

Action becomes a form of devotion or alignment with the ultimate, dissolving egoic ownership while maintaining ethical responsibility.

Contextual relevance?

Krishna applies the guṇa/doership teaching directly to Arjuna’s predicament: engage in duty with an inwardly renunciant attitude.

Modern Application?

Treat work as service to a larger purpose (community, truth, God, or values), minimizing possessiveness and reducing stress.