Bhagavad Gita BG 3.17
Chapter 3, Verse 17 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः । आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥ १७ ॥
yas tv ātma-ratir eva syād ātma-tṛptaś ca mānavaḥ ātmany eva ca saṃtuṣṭas tasya kāryaṃ na vidyate
Meaning
But for the person who delights only in the Self, who is satisfied only in the Self, and who is content only in the Self — for that person, there is no prescribed duty to perform.
Understanding
This verse describes the exception — the fully self-realised person. Three qualities define them: ātma-ratiḥ (delights only in the Self), ātma-tṛptaḥ (satisfied only in the Self), and ātma-saṃtuṣṭaḥ (content only in the Self). For such a person, all three levels of inner life are anchored in the Self — they have no hole that external action can fill. As a result, they have no binding duty (kāryam). However, it is crucial to note: this does not mean they stop acting. Krishna will address this in the next verses. The point here is that their action, when they do act, is entirely free — not driven by need, fear, or desire.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| आत्मरतिः | ātma-ratiḥ | one who delights in the Self |
| आत्मतृप्तः | ātma-tṛptaḥ | one satisfied in the Self |
| आत्मनि सन्तुष्टः | ātmani saṃtuṣṭaḥ | content in the Self alone |
| कार्यम् | kāryam | prescribed duty / what needs to be done |
| न विद्यते | na vidyate | does not exist / there is none |
| यः तु | yas tu | but he who / the one who |
| एव | eva | alone / only (the self alone) |
| स्यात् | syāt | would be / were to be |
| च | ca | and (conjunction) |
| मानवः | mānaval | a person / a human being |
| आत्मनि एव | ātmany eva | in the Self alone / in oneself only |
| तस्य | tasya | his / for that person |