📿 Shloka Collection

Yastvataratir Eva Syat

Gita 3.17 Bhagavad Gita
📖 Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 3 — Karma Yoga
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः ।
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥
Yastvatmaratir eva syad atmatriptash cha manavah
Atmanyeva cha santushtah tasya karyam na vidyate
यः तु
but the one who
आत्मरतिः
delighting in the Self
एव स्यात्
alone is
आत्मतृप्तः
satisfied in the Self
and
मानवः
a person
आत्मनि एव
in the Self alone
सन्तुष्टः
contented
तस्य
for that person
कार्यम् न विद्यते
no obligatory duty remains

Here is the exception to everything said so far. The person who has completely realized the Self — who finds all joy, all satisfaction, all contentment within — has no remaining duty. Nothing more needs to be done. Nothing more needs to be gained.

This is the state of the fully realized sage. It is rare and elevated. For the vast majority of seekers, the path of Karma Yoga remains essential. But Krishna acknowledges that at the summit of spiritual realization, the question of duty dissolves entirely. The sage does not act out of obligation. If they act at all, it flows from a different source altogether.

This is the complement to 3.16. For ordinary people, following the yajna-cycle is essential. For the self-realized soul, it is not.

Gita 3.18 extends this further, describing how the realized person depends on no being for any purpose.

Chapter 3 · 17 / 43
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