Bhagavad Gītā · Chapter 6, Verse 1
श्री भगवानुवाच
अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः।
स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः।।
अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः।
स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः।।
śrī bhagavān uvāca
anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ
sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnir na cākriyaḥ
also searched as "anashritah karma phalam karyam karma karoti yah"
Translation
The Lord said, "He who performs works that ought to be done without seeking their fruits—he is a sannyasin and yogin, and not he who maintains no sacred fires and performs no actions."
Vāṇi's rendering
The real renouncer does the work that must be done, unattached to results — not the one who merely quits.
Word by word
| Sanskrit & transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|
| श्रीśrī | holy, radiant — a word of honour |
| भगवान्bhagavān | the blessed one, Krishna |
| उवाचuvāca | said |
| अनाश्रितःanāśritaḥ | not leaning on, not depending on |
| कर्मफलंkarma-phalaṁ | the fruit of action, what the work yields |
| कार्यंkāryaṁ | that which ought to be done |
| कर्मkarma | work, action |
| करोतिkaroti | does, performs |
| यःyaḥ | whoever |
| सsa | he, that one |
| संन्यासीsannyāsī | the renouncer |
| चca | and |
| योगीyogī | the one joined, the yogī |
| चca | and |
| नna | not |
| निरग्निःniragniḥ | one without the sacred fire, who has dropped the rites |
| नna | not |
| चca | and (joined with the next word by sandhi: ca + akriyaḥ = cākriyaḥ) |
| अक्रियःakriyaḥ | one who does nothing at all |
Frequently asked
What does Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6 Verse 1 mean?
It means renunciation is not an exit. Krishna says the true sannyāsī is the one who does the work that must be done without leaning on its fruit. Dropping the fire, dropping the rites, dropping activity — none of that makes a renouncer. The inner release from results does.
What is the meaning of anashritah karma phalam karyam karma karoti yah?
Anāśritaḥ means not leaning on. Kāryaṁ karma is the work that ought to be done. Put together: the one who does his necessary work without resting his weight on the outcome. That leaning is what Krishna asks you to give up — not the work itself.
Does the Gita say I should not renounce the world?
It says renouncing the world without renouncing appetite for results changes nothing. Krishna calls the fireless, actionless man neither sannyāsī nor yogī. You can withdraw completely and still be counting what you will get. The renunciation that counts happens inside the action, not instead of it.
How is a sannyasi the same as a yogi in this verse?
Krishna collapses the two names into one person. The sannyāsī gives up the fruit; the yogī acts with a steady mind. These are not two paths but one description seen from two sides. Whoever works without gripping the result is already both, whatever clothes he happens to wear.
Themes in this verse
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Commentary
Krishna opens the chapter by taking a word away from those who wear it. Sannyāsa had a costume — no sacred fire, no rites, no work. Krishna says the costume proves nothing. The renouncer is the one still doing what must be done, with no claim on what comes of it. Arjuna wanted to lay down the bow and call it holiness; Krishna will not let him. What you drop is not the measure. What you carry, and how lightly you hold its outcome — that is. You can leave your desk and stay grasping. You can stay and be free.