Self-Control - 06 - 01

The Shloka

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श्रीभगवानुवाच ।

अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः ।

स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः ॥

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Śrī Bhagavān uvāca.

Anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ.

Sa saṁnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ.

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Meaning / Summary

This verse is profoundly significant as it redefines and elevates the understanding of renunciation and yoga beyond mere external forms or rituals. It challenges the conventional view that spiritual life requires abandoning all activity or withdrawing completely from society. Instead, it posits that true spirituality can be practiced within the framework of active life by cultivating inner detachment. This teaching is central to Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action, demonstrating that one can achieve spiritual liberation and union with the Divine through performing actions with a non-attached attitude. It encourages active participation in the world while maintaining an inner state of freedom from results, making spiritual realization accessible to all, irrespective of their external circumstances or roles.

The Supreme Lord said: One who performs his prescribed duty without being attached to the fruits of action, he is a sannyasi and a yogi; not merely one who has renounced fire sacrifices, nor one who is inactive.

Lord Krishna defines a true renunciant (sannyasi) and a true yogi as someone who performs their duties without desiring the results of their actions. He clarifies that mere abstention from fire sacrifices or complete inactivity does not qualify one as a sannyasi or yogi; rather, it is the internal detachment from fruits of labor while actively engaging in prescribed duties that is paramount.

Lord Krishna clarifies the true meaning of a ‘sannyasi’ (renunciant) and a ‘yogi’ (one in divine union or mystic). He states that genuine renunciation and yoga are not merely external practices like giving up fire sacrifices (a traditional sign of renouncing household life) or refraining from all activity. Instead, a true sannyasi and yogi is defined by an internal state: they diligently perform their obligatory duties (kāryaṁ karma) without attachment to the results or rewards of those actions (karmaphalaṁ). This means that while they act, their motivation is not personal gain, but rather the execution of duty itself or for a higher purpose, transcending the desire for favorable outcomes. This verse emphasizes the inner disposition over external rituals or passive idleness, highlighting that true spiritual advancement lies in a detached yet active engagement with the world.

Sentence - 1

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श्रीभगवानुवाच ।

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Meaning

The Supreme Lord said:

Meaning of Words

श्रीभगवान्	Śrī Bhagavān
The Supreme Lord Śrī is an honorific prefix, denoting prosperity, divine grace, or respect. Bhagavān refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one who possesses all opulences in full: strength, fame, wealth, knowledge, beauty, and renunciation. Here, it refers to Lord Krishna.
उवाच	uvāca	said

Sentence - 2

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अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः ।

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Meaning

One who performs his prescribed duty without being attached to the fruits of action,

Meaning of Words

अनाश्रितः	anāśritaḥ
unattached From ‘a’ (not) and ‘āśrita’ (dependent, attached). It means one who does not seek or rely upon something for their own gain or satisfaction, implying independence from the results.
कर्मफलं	karmaphalaṁ
fruits of action Karma means action or work, and phala means fruit or result. So, karmaphalaṁ refers to the outcomes, consequences, or results that arise from one’s actions.
कार्यं	kāryaṁ
prescribed duty That which is proper or necessary to be done; one’s obligatory duty according to one’s nature, position, or societal role (dharma).
कर्म	karma
action, work Any activity or deed performed, often with the implication of generating consequences, whether good or bad, for the performer. Here it refers to one’s rightful actions.
करोति	karoti	performs
यः	yaḥ	who, one who

Sentence - 3

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स संन्यासी च योगी च

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Meaning

he is a sannyasi and a yogi;

Meaning of Words

स	sa	he
संन्यासी	saṁnyāsī
a renunciant A person who has completely given up attachment to worldly possessions and desires, and often, traditional social and ritualistic duties, in pursuit of spiritual liberation. Traditionally, this involves adopting a monastic lifestyle.
च	ca	and
योगी	yogī
a mystic, a practitioner of yoga One who practices Yoga, especially Ashtanga Yoga, with the aim of controlling the mind and senses to achieve union (yoga) with the Supreme Self or God. More broadly, it refers to someone dedicated to spiritual discipline and self-realization.

Sentence - 4

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न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः ॥

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Meaning

not merely one who has renounced fire sacrifices, nor one who is inactive.

Meaning of Words

न	na	not
निरग्निः	niragniḥ
one who has given up fire sacrifices Literally, ‘without fire’. In a Vedic context, it refers to one who has abandoned the performance of Vedic fire sacrifices (agnihotra), which were traditional rituals for householders. This was a common outward sign of sannyasa in ancient India.
न च	na ca	nor
अक्रियः	ākriyaḥ
inactive, one who performs no actions From ‘a’ (not) and ‘kriyā’ (action). One who refrains from all actions, implying idleness or a passive renunciation without positive engagement.

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