नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेनेह कश्चन ।
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्िचदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्िचदर्थव्यपाश्रयः ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
उस कर्मयोगसे सिद्ध हुए महापुरुषका इस संसारमें न तो कर्म करनेसे कोई प्रयोजन रहता है, और न कर्म न करनेसे ही कोई प्रयोजन रहता है, तथा सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंमें किसी भी प्राणीके साथ इसका किञ्चिन्मात्र भी स्वार्थका सम्बन्ध नहीं रहता ॥
English
For the perfected person, no purpose remains in doing, and no purpose remains in not doing. No being in the world is a source of personal gain.
What this verse means
A person who has reached inner completeness no longer acts for personal gain. Neither action nor inaction adds anything to that person.
Context & commentary
On the Kurukshetra battlefield, Arjuna is frozen between duty and fear. Krishna explains the mature state of action: a person established in inner completeness does not act for reward, nor avoid action for reward. Nothing in the world becomes a bargaining chip.
Why this verse still matters
You send the message, make the apology, or walk away from the deal without calculating how it will benefit you. The action stands on its own, even when nothing comes back.
The takeaway
There is relief in not needing life to pay you back.
Word-by-word translation
नैव (not at all) / तस्य (for that one) / कृतेन (by doing) / अर्थः (purpose, gain) / न (not) / अकृतेन (by not doing) / इह (here) / कश्चन (any) / न (not) / च (and) / अस्य (for this one) / सर्वभूतेषु (among all beings) / कश्चित् (any) / अर्थव्यपाश्रयः (basis for personal gain)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3: Karma Yoga — The Yoga of Action, which contains 43 verses.
Explore related themes: karma yoga (55 verses), vairagya (51 verses), nishkama karma (12 verses)