Bhagavad Gita BG 2.38
Chapter 2, Verse 38 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ । ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥ ३८ ॥
sukha-duḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṃ pāpam avāpsyasi
Meaning
Fight for the sake of fighting, without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat — and by so doing you shall never incur sin.
Understanding
This verse introduces the foundational principle of Karma Yoga: action performed with equanimity, without attachment to outcomes. 'Sukha-duḥkhe same' (equal in pleasure and pain), 'lābhālābhau' (gain and loss), 'jayājayau' (victory and defeat) — treat them all as equal. Act for the sake of duty, not for the results. The remarkable promise: 'naivaṃ pāpam avāpsyasi' — by acting thus, you will never incur sin. Action performed without attachment to result is freed from karmic bondage.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सुखदुःखे | sukha-duḥkhe | happiness and distress |
| समे कृत्वा | same kṛtvā | making equal / treating as equal |
| लाभालाभौ | lābhālābhau | gain and loss |
| जयाजयौ | jayājayau | victory and defeat |
| युज्यस्व | yujyasva | engage / apply yourself / yoke yourself |
| न पापम् अवाप्स्यसि | na pāpam avāpsyasi | you will not incur sin |
| ततः | tataḥ | then / therefore |
| युद्धाय | yuddhāya | for battle / to fight |