Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 3 › Verse 17
Bhagavad Gītā 3.17: Happy within
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः ।
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥
yastvātmaratireva syādātmatṛptaśca mānavaḥ
ātmanyeva ca santuṣṭastasya kāryaṃ na vidyate
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
But for one who delights in the Self alone, who is satisfied in the Self and content in the Self only, there remains nothing that must be done. The verse describes the realised person, for whom action no longer serves any personal need; 3.20–3.25 show why even such a person still acts, for the good of the world.
For children
Krishna says: “Someone who is completely happy inside doesn’t need anything more. They are full of joy already.”
After the cycle of yajña (3.10–3.16), Kṛṣṇa describes the one who is free: content in the Self (3.17–3.18).
Word by word
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्याद् — But one who delights in the Self alone
- yaḥ tu: but one who
- ātmarati: delighting in the Self
- eva: only
आत्मतृप्तश्च मानवः — who is satisfied in the Self
- ātmatṛpta: satisfied in the Self
- mānava: a person
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस् — and is content in the Self
- ātmani: in the Self
- santuṣṭa: content
तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते — has nothing left that they must do
- kārya: what must be done
- na vidyate: there is not
Kṛṣṇa speaks this verse. The Sanskrit is checked against four editions; meanings and word notes are simple learning aids written for MahaPrabha Gurukul, awaiting review by a Sanskrit teacher.