Ashtavakra Gita 18.25Chapter 18, Verse 25
Ashtavakra Gita 18.25 is a verse from chapter 18 (Peace in a hundred verses). The sage Ashtavakra speaks it to King Janaka. In plain English it says: "'This act was done by the body, not by me, the pure Self': one who holds to this thought does not act even while acting."
कृतं देहेन कर्मेदं न मया शुद्धरूपिणा ।इति चिन्तानुरोधी यः कुर्वन्नपि करोति न ॥
kṛtaṃ dehena karmedaṃ na mayā śuddharūpiṇā |iti cintānurodhī yaḥ kurvannapi karoti na ||
'This act was done by the body, not by me, the pure Self': one who holds to this thought does not act 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 18 page, or start with the verses in where to begin.
Chapter 18, Peace in a hundred verses: The longest chapter, a third of the text, contrasting the confused who strive with the steady who are already at rest.
Read all 100 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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