असक्तबुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगतस्पृहः । नैष्कर्म्यसिद्धिं परमां सन्न्यासेनाधिगच्छति ॥
asakta-buddhiḥ sarvatra jitātmā vigata-spṛhaḥ | naiṣkarmya-siddhiṃ paramāṃ sannyāsenādhigacchati ||
The unattached-minded, self-conquered, desire-free one attains supreme naiskarmya-siddhi through sannyāsa.
Word by word (3)
- asakta-buddhiḥ sarvatra jitātmā vigata-spṛhaḥ
- — one whose buddhi/intellect is unattached (asakta = a + sakta = non-clinging) everywhere (sarvatra = in all places/situations), who has conquered the self (jitātmā = conquered-self, from ji + ātmā = one who has won the self/inner instrument), whose desire/craving has departed (vigata-spṛhaḥ = vigata + spṛha = gone-desire, from vi + gam + spṛh)
- naiṣkarmya-siddhiṃ paramāṃ sannyāsenādhigacchati
- — the supreme (paramām) perfection (siddhim) of naiskarmya (freedom from karma-binding; naiṣkarmya = not-karma, the state of non-binding action or actionlessness in the sense of no karma-residue) — attains (adhigacchati = fully-attains) through renunciation (sannyāsena = through sannyāsa)
- naiṣkarmya-siddhi
- — perfection of freedom-from-karma-binding; naiṣkarmya (from na + iṣ + karma = not-desired-karma = karma that leaves no residue/binding) is the state where action produces no saṃskāra or karma-bondage; this is not the cessation of physical action but the inner condition of complete non-attachment; sannyāsa here = the inner sannyāsa of complete renunciation of fruit-attachment, not necessarily monastic external renunciation
He whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who has conquered his self, whose desires have departed — he attains through renunciation the supreme perfection of freedom from karma.
A modern analogy
V49 describes the yogi who has moved beyond performing svadharma as worship (V46) to the state of naiṣkarmya (action-without-karmic-residue). The difference: in V46, svadharma is offered to the Divine consciously. In V49, the inner instrument itself is so purified (asakta-buddhi, jitātmā, vigata-spṛha) that action simply flows without leaving any karmic impression. Like a lotus leaf that touches water but is not wetted — action happens, but nothing clings.
V49 pivots from svadharma (V41-48) to the inner condition of the liberated actor. After establishing that ALL four varṇas can attain perfection through svadharma + worship (V46), Krishna now describes the highest inner state: naiṣkarmya-siddhi through sannyāsa. This is the answer to the sannyāsa-tyāga question of V1: sannyāsa is not abandonment of external action but the inner state of asakta-buddhi + jitātmā + vigata-spṛha. With this inner condition, action produces no karma — naiṣkarmya.
Sannyāsenādhigacchati (attains through sannyāsa) connects V49 back to Ch.18's opening question. Sannyāsa as defined here (inner non-attachment + self-conquest + desire-freedom = naiṣkarmya-siddhi) is the true sannyāsa Krishna has been pointing toward throughout the chapter. The external sannyāsī who abandons action but retains desire has not attained naiṣkarmya. The karma-yogī who acts with asakta-buddhi + jitātmā + vigata-spṛha HAS attained naiṣkarmya — the ultimate freedom within action.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
MISSING from index. [1]
He whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who has subdued his heart, whose desires have fled, he attains by renunciation to the supreme perfection, consisting of freedom from action. [4]
MISSING from index. [9]
He whose mind is unattached everywhere, who has subdued his self, and whose desire has departed, obtains, through renunciation, the supreme perfection of freedom from work. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Sannyāsa = abandoning desire-motivated action; tyāga = abandoning fruits of ALL action — say the learned.
Who acts in duty without depending on fruit — that one is the true sannyāsī and yogī, not the fireless or the inactive.
Sāttvic yajña: performed as ordained, without fruit-desire, with the conviction 'this must be done.'
Rājasic karma: done desiring pleasures or with ego-pride, involving great effort.
Rājasic dhṛti: holds fast to dharma, kāma, and artha with attachment, desiring the fruit of each.
Some say all karma is faulty and should be abandoned; others say yajña-dāna-tapas must not be abandoned.