Ashtavakra Gita 11.4Chapter 11, Verse 4
Ashtavakra Gita 11.4 is a verse from chapter 11 (Eight certainties). The sage Ashtavakra speaks it to King Janaka. In plain English it says: "Pleasure and pain, birth and death come by destiny. One who is sure of this sees nothing he must achieve, makes no strain, and is not stained even while acting."
सुखदुःखे जन्ममृत्यू दैवादेवेति निश्चयी ।साध्यादर्शी निरायासः कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते ॥
sukhaduḥkhe janmamṛtyū daivādeveti niścayī |sādhyādarśī nirāyāsaḥ kurvannapi na lipyate ||
Pleasure and pain, birth and death come by destiny. One who is sure of this sees nothing he must achieve, makes no strain, and is not stained even while acting.
Ashtavakra, to King Janaka
Word meanings and a note for this verse are still being written. Read it in context on the chapter 11 page, or start with the verses in where to begin.
Chapter 11, Eight certainties: Eight verses, each about one who is certain of a single truth and is at peace because of it.
Read all 8 verses in this chapter →Seven mornings of short readings from the Bhagavad Gita, chosen for what you're going through, by email.
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