Bhagavad Gita BG 3.18
Chapter 3, Verse 18 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन । न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चिदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥ १८ ॥
naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana na cāsya sarva-bhūteṣu kaścid artha-vyapāśrayaḥ
Meaning
Such a person has no purpose to be served by acting, nor any purpose in not acting. Nor does such a person depend upon any being for anything.
Understanding
This verse completes the portrait of inner freedom. The self-realised person has no stake in the outcome of action (kṛtena) or non-action (akṛtena) — both are irrelevant to their inner state. The final phrase is even bolder: they do not depend on any being (sarva-bhūteṣu) for anything (artha-vyapāśrayaḥ). Most people depend on others for love, approval, security, identity. The self-realised person has found all of these in the Self — they are internally independent (ātma-tṛptaḥ from v17). This freedom from dependence is not coldness but the foundation of true compassion: only one who needs nothing from others can serve them fully and purely.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| कृतेन | kṛtena | by action performed / by what is done |
| अकृतेन | akṛtena | by non-action / by what is not done |
| अर्थः | arthaḥ | purpose / gain / goal to be fulfilled |
| अर्थव्यपाश्रयः | artha-vyapāśrayaḥ | dependence for any purpose / reliance on others for anything |
| सर्वभूतेषु | sarva-bhūteṣu | among all beings / in relation to all creatures |
| न एव | naiva | not at all / there is never |
| तस्य | tasya | his / for that person |
| इह | iha | here / in this world |
| कश्चन | kaścana | any / whatsoever |
| न च | na ca | nor / and not |
| अस्य | asya | his / of this person |
| कश्चित् | kaścit | any / the slightest |