सर्वकर्माण्य् अपि सदा कुर्वाणो मद्व्यपाश्रयः । मत्प्रसादात् अवाप्नोति शाश्वतं पदम् अव्ययम् ॥
sarva-karmāṇy api sadā kurvāṇo mad-vyapāśrayaḥ | mat-prasādāt avāpnoti śāśvataṃ padam avyayam ||
Even doing all actions always, with refuge in Me — by My grace one attains the eternal imperishable abode.
Word by word (3)
- sarva-karmāṇy api sadā kurvāṇo mad-vyapāśrayaḥ
- — even (api) all actions (sarva-karmāṇi), always/continuously (sadā), while performing/doing (kurvāṇo = doing, present participle), taking refuge in/depending on Me (mad-vyapāśrayaḥ = mad + vi + apa + āśraya = taking-full-refuge-in-Me) — the most liberating teaching: ALL actions, always, are compatible with liberation IF done with refuge in the Divine
- mat-prasādāt avāpnoti śāśvataṃ padam avyayam
- — by My grace (mat-prasādāt = mat + prasāda + āt = by-My-grace/favor), one attains/fully-obtains (avāpnoti = ava + āp = completely-reaches) the eternal/everlasting (śāśvatam = perpetual/eternal) immutable/undecaying abode/station (padam avyayam = avyaya = without-decay = imperishable state) — the destination: the eternal imperishable abode through Divine grace
- mat-prasādāt
- — by/through My grace (prasāda = clearness/grace/favor; the same prasāda of V37's ātmabuddhi-prasādajam and Ch.2's sarva-duḥkhānāṃ hānir asyopajāyate prasāde); mat-prasāda (Divine grace) is not earned through works but received through surrender; V56 establishes that all karma done with mad-vyapāśraya (refuge in Me) = eligible for grace = accessible to śāśvata padam avyayam
Even performing all actions always, taking refuge in Me — by My grace one attains the eternal, imperishable state.
A modern analogy
V56 is one of the most liberating verses in the Gita: you do not have to stop doing. Even doing EVERYTHING — sarva-karmāṇy api — is compatible with liberation, IF done with refuge in the Divine (mad-vyapāśrayaḥ). The farmer, the warrior, the merchant, the scholar — all can attain the eternal abode through mat-prasāda (Divine grace), provided their inner orientation is one of surrender.
V56 is the karma-yoga synthesis: the entire path from V41-55 (svadharma → siddhi → brahma-bhūta → parā bhakti) is now compressed into a single verse. Even performing ALL actions ALWAYS, with refuge in the Divine (mad-vyapāśraya), through mat-prasāda, one attains the eternal. This verse overcomes any reading that liberation requires renouncing external action. The Gita's answer: no external renunciation required — only inner refuge (vyapāśraya) in Me, and My grace does the rest.
Mat-prasādāt (by My grace) as the MEANS of attaining śāśvata padam avyayam is the Gita's final word on karma and liberation: karma alone does not produce liberation (it produces karma-phala); but karma done with Divine refuge opens the door to mat-prasāda, which DOES produce the eternal state. This is not a contradiction of karma-yoga — it IS karma-yoga's deepest logic: karma-yoga → release from karma-binding → grace-receptivity → liberation.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
Doing continually all actions whatsoever, taking refuge in Me — by My Grace he reaches the eternal undecaying Abode. [1]
Even doing all actions always, taking refuge in Me — by My grace he attains to the eternal, immutable State. [4]
MISSING from index. [9]
Even performing all actions at all times having refuge in Me, he obtains, through my favor, the seat that is eternal and imperishable. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Abandon all dharmas, take refuge in Me alone — I will liberate you from all sins; do not grieve.
Even yajña-dāna-tapas must be performed having abandoned attachment and fruits — my settled, highest opinion.
Do not abandon one's innate duty even if imperfect — all undertakings are enveloped by fault as fire by smoke.
The unattached-minded, self-conquered, desire-free one attains supreme naiskarmya-siddhi through sannyāsa.
Learn briefly from Me how one who has attained siddhi attains Brahman — the supreme culmination of knowledge.
Endued with pure buddhi, regulating self with dhṛti, renouncing sense-objects, setting aside rāga-dveṣa —