The knower of reality should think, "I do nothing at all," while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, walking, taking, speaking, discarding, sleeping, breathing, and opening and closing the eyes.
— Krishna
❋
Bhagavad Gita · 5.8
Hindi · हिन्दी
तत्त्वको जाननेवाला सांख्ययोगी देखता, सुनता, छूता, सूँघता, खाता, चलता, ग्रहण करता, बोलता, मलमूत्र का त्याग करता, सोता, श्वास लेता तथा आँखें खोलता और मूँदता भी सम्पूर्ण इन्द्रियाँ इन्द्रियोंके विषयोंमें बरत रही हैं ऐसा समझकर मैं स्वयं कुछ भी नहीं करता हूँ ऐसा माने ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
नैवnot at allकिंचित्anythingकरोमिI doइतिthusयुक्तःthe disciplined oneमन्येतshould thinkतत्त्ववित्the knower of realityपश्यन्seeingश्रृणवन्hearingस्पृशन्touchingजिघ्रन्smellingअश्नन्eatingगच्छन्walkingस्वपन्sleepingश्वसन्breathing
Read literallynot at all · anything · I do · thus · the disciplined one · should think · the knower of reality · seeing · hearing · touching · smelling · eating · walking · sleeping · breathing
Understanding the verse
✦
Seeing, hearing, eating, walking, even blinking: the knower of reality thinks, 'I do nothing at all.'
A person who knows reality sees the senses doing all the work and no longer claims personal doership.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
Krishna explains the inner vision of the wise to Arjuna, who is frozen between action and collapse: even while the body sees, hears, eats, moves, and breathes, the knower does not mistake these movements for personal doership.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
You replay every word after a tense conversation and think, "I ruined it." This verse interrupts that habit: actions happen through the senses, but the self does not need to clutch them as "mine."
The takeaway
“The senses do their work; the wise stop claiming to be the doer.”
A person who knows reality sees the senses doing all the work and no longer claims personal doership.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 5.8?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Karma Sanyasa Yoga" (The Yoga of Renunciation).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 5.8?
Verse 8 sits in Chapter 5 of the Bhagavad Gita — Karma Sanyasa Yoga, "The Yoga of Renunciation". The chapter has 29 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 5.8 matter today?
You replay every word after a tense conversation and think, "I ruined it." This verse interrupts that habit: actions happen through the senses, but the self does not need to clutch them as "mine."
Seeing, hearing, eating, walking, even blinking: the knower of reality thinks, 'I do nothing at all.'
What this verse means
A person who knows reality sees the senses doing all the work and no longer claims personal doership.
Context & commentary
Krishna explains the inner vision of the wise to Arjuna, who is frozen between action and collapse: even while the body sees, hears, eats, moves, and breathes, the knower does not mistake these movements for personal doership.
What it looks like today
You replay every word after a tense conversation and think, "I ruined it." This verse interrupts that habit: actions happen through the senses, but the self does not need to clutch them as "mine."
“The senses do their work; the wise stop claiming to be the doer.”
Explore related themes: sankhya (11 verses), karma sannyasa (11 verses)