Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 3 › Verse 18
Bhagavad Gītā 3.18: Nothing to gain
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन ।
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥
naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana
na cāsya sarvabhūteṣu kaścidarthavyapāśrayaḥ
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
For such a one there is no purpose to be gained by what is done, nor by what is left undone in this world; nor does such a one depend on any being for any object. This completes the picture of the free person; yet, Kṛṣṇa will argue, freedom from need is no reason to stop acting.
For children
Krishna says: “A person who is truly happy inside doesn’t need to win or get anything. They don’t need anyone to give them things.”
Kṛṣṇa continues describing the free person of 3.17.
Word by word
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो — That person has nothing to gain by acting
- naiva: not at all
- kṛta: what is done
- artha: purpose, gain
नाकृतेनेह कश्चन — and nothing to lose by not acting here
- akṛta: what is not done
- iha: here
- kaścana: any
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु — and among all beings
- sarvabhūta: all beings
कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः — depends on no one for anything
- kaścit: any
- vyapāśraya: dependence
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.