Non-Attachment

Action that is prescribed, free of attachment, performed without passion or aversion by one who desires no fruit — that is called sattvic.

नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् | अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्म यत्तत्सात्त्विकमुच्यते ||१८-२३||

When a prescribed action is performed simply because it ought to be done, Arjuna, giving up attachment and also the fruit — that relinquishment is regarded as sattvic.

कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन | सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः ||१८-९||

But even these actions should be performed while giving up attachment and their fruits — this, Partha, is my definite and highest conviction.

एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च | कर्तव्यानीति मे पार्थ निश्चितं मतमुत्तमम् ||१८-६||

One who does my work, holds me as supreme, is devoted to me, free from attachment, and without enmity toward any being — that person comes to me, Pandava.

मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो मद्भक्तः सङ्गवर्जितः | निर्वैरः सर्वभूतेषु यः स मामेति पाण्डव ||११-५५||

One who neither rejoices nor hates, neither grieves nor desires, who has renounced both good and evil, and who is full of devotion — that person is dear to me.

यो न हृष्यति न द्वेष्टि न शोचति न काङ्क्षति | शुभाशुभपरित्यागी भक्तिमान्यः स मे प्रियः ||१२-१७||

But these actions do not bind me, Arjuna. I remain seated as if indifferent, unattached to those actions.

न च मां तानि कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय | उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तं तेषु कर्मसु ||९-९||

One who is without attachment on every side, who neither rejoices nor recoils on meeting good or ill, has wisdom firmly set.

यः सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहस्तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभम् | नाभिनन्दति न द्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ||२-५७||

The gift given because it ought to be given, to one who does no favor in return, in the right place and time and to a worthy recipient — that gift is regarded as sattvic.

दातव्यमिति यद्दानं दीयतेऽनुपकारिणे | देशे काले च पात्रे च तद्दानं सात्त्विकं स्मृतम् ||१७-२०||

The Blessed Lord said: He who does not hate illumination, activity, and delusion when they arise, nor longs for them when they cease, Pandava;

श्रीभगवानुवाच | प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव | न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति ||१४-२२||

Non-attachment, absence of clinging to son, wife, home, and the like, and constant even-mindedness amid welcome and unwelcome events;

असक्तिरनभिष्वङ्गः पुत्रदारगृहादिषु | नित्यं च समचित्तत्वमिष्टानिष्टोपपत्तिषु ||१३-१०||

This threefold austerity, practiced with supreme faith by people who are disciplined and desire no fruit, they call sattvic.

श्रद्धया परया तप्तं तपस्तत्त्रिविधं नरैः | अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्युक्तैः सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ||१७-१७||

The sacrifice offered according to scriptural injunction by those who desire no fruit, with the mind fixed on the conviction that it simply ought to be offered — that is sattvic.

अफलाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते | यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ||१७-११||

I am the non-doer, I am the non-enjoyer, I am changeless, imperishable; my nature is pure awareness, I am the Alone, I am the ever-auspicious.

अकर्ताहमभोक्ताहमविकारोऽहमव्ययः । शुद्ध बोधस्वरूपोऽहं केवलोऽहं सदाशिवः

Abandon attachment to one's own social station, caste, desire for fame, and the urge to accumulate — relinquishing all this, let the mind rest on nothing but the Guru.

स्वाश्रमं च स्वजातिं च स्वकीर्तिपुष्टिवर्धनम् । एतत्सर्वं परित्यज्य गुरोरन्यन्न भावयेत्

He acknowledged: "This much." "They told you about the worlds, my dear; but I will tell you that by which—as water does not cling to a lotus leaf—so evil deeds do not cling to one who knows thus." "Tell me, sir." He said to him:

इदमिति ह प्रतिजज्ञे लोकान्वाव किल सोम्य तेऽवोचन्नहं तु ते तद्वक्ष्यामि यथा पुष्करपलाश आपो न श्लिष्यन्त एवमेवंविदि पापं कर्म न श्लिष्यत इति ब्रवीतु मे भगवानिति तस्मै होवाच

One should purify the mind by walking the path the Guru has shown, and should negate everything transient that appears to be part of the Self.

गुरुदर्शितमार्गेण मनःशुद्धिं तु कारयेत् । अनित्यं खण्डयेत्सर्वं यत्किञ्चिदात्मगोचरम्

By this graded yoga, through the company of great souls, one holds: 'I am not the doer; the Lord is the doer, or it is my prior karma' —

अनेन क्रमयोगेन संयोगेन महात्मनाम् । नाहं कर्तेश्वरः कर्ता कर्म वा प्राक्तनं मम