Bhagavad Gita · 3.28

Chapter 3, Verse 28

Karma Yoga — Sanskrit shloka, transliteration, word meanings, English translation, and commentary.

Original Sanskrit verse

तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः। गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते।।3.28।।

Transliteration

tattva-vit tu mahā-bāho guṇa-karma-vibhāgayoḥ guṇā guṇeṣhu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate

Word meanings

tattva-vit—the knower of the Truth; tu—but; mahā-bāho—mighty-armed one; guṇa-karma—from guṇas and karma; vibhāgayoḥ—distinguish; guṇāḥ—modes of material nature in the shape of the senses, mind, etc; guṇeṣhu—modes of material nature in the shape of objects of perception; vartante—are engaged; iti—thus; matvā—knowing; na—never; sajjate—becomes attached

English translation

But he who knows the Truth, O mighty-armed Arjuna, about the divisions of the qualities and their functions, knowing that the Gunas, as senses, move amidst the Gunas, as the sense-objects, is not attached.

— Swami Sivananda

💬 Share on WhatsApp ✈️ Telegram
Sacred Audio Recitation

Listen to Shloka 3.28

Commentary

He who knows the truth that the Self is entirely distinct from the three Gunas and actions does not become attached to the actions. He who knows the truth about the classification of the Gunas and their respective functions understands that the qualities as senseorgans move amidst the qualities as senseobjects. Therefore he is not attached to the actions. He knows; I am Akarta -- I am not the doer. (Cf. XIV.23).

Commentary by Swami Sivananda

Mobile App Edition

Read Bhagavad Gita Offline

Save bookmarks, listen to Sanskrit shloka recitations, and track your daily spiritual reading progress in our lightweight Android mobile app.

Get on Google Play