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Shloka 28

Karma-Saṃnyāsa–Karma-Yoga Saṃvāda

Renunciation and the Discipline of Action

तत्त्ववित्‌ तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयो: । गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते,परंतु हे महाबाहो! गुणविभाग और कर्मविभागके तत्त्वको जाननेवालाः ज्ञानयोगी सम्पूर्ण गुण ही गुणोंमें बरत रहे हैं, ऐसा समझकर उनमें आसक्त नहीं होता

tattvavit tu mahābāho guṇakarmavibhāgayoḥ | guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate ||

ஆனால், ஓ மகாபாகுவே! குணங்களும் செயல்களும் எவ்வாறு பிரிகின்றன என்பதன் உண்மையை அறிந்தவன், ‘குணங்களே குணங்களுக்குள் இயங்குகின்றன’ என்று உணர்ந்து பற்றுக் கொள்ளான்.

तत्त्ववित्knower of truth/reality
तत्त्ववित्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतत्त्वविद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut, however
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
महाबाहोO mighty-armed one
महाबाहो:
TypeNoun
Rootमहाबाहु
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
गुणकर्मविभागयोःof the division of qualities and actions
गुणकर्मविभागयोः:
TypeNoun
Rootगुणकर्मविभाग
FormMasculine, Genitive, Dual
गुणाःthe qualities (gunas)
गुणाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
गुणेषुin/among the qualities
गुणेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootगुण
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
वर्तन्तेact/operate, proceed
वर्तन्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Atmanepada
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
मत्वाhaving thought/considered
मत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootमन्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada/Atmanepada-neutral
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
सज्जतेclings, becomes attached
सज्जते:
TypeVerb
Rootसञ्ज्
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

अजुन उवाच

A
Arjuna

Educational Q&A

A wise person who understands how actions arise from the guṇas of prakṛti sees agency as belonging to nature’s modes, not to an ego-self; therefore he performs duty without attachment, possessiveness, or craving for results.

In the midst of the Kurukṣetra war setting, Kṛṣṇa is instructing Arjuna on karma-yoga: how to act rightly without inner bondage. This verse explains the perspective of the tattvavit (knower of truth) who remains unattached by recognizing the guṇas as the operative forces behind action.