Bg. 18.45 · Bhagavad-gita As It Is

Devanagari

स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरत: संसिद्धिं लभते नर स्वकर्मनिरत: सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्‍छृणु ॥ ४५ ॥

Verse text

sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṁ yathā vindati tac chṛṇu

Synonyms

sve sve — each his own ; karmaṇi — work ; abhirataḥ — following ; saṁsiddhim — perfection ; labhate — achieves ; naraḥ — a man ; sva-karma — in his own duty ; nirataḥ — engaged ; siddhim — perfection ; yathā — as ; vindati — attains ; tat — that ; śṛṇu — listen.

Translation

By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

45. Man achieves complete success being engaged in his particular duties. Hear how one attains success by engagement in one’s duties.

Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

45. Man achieves complete success, attainment of jṣāna, being engaged in his particular duties. Hear how one attains success by engagement in one’s duties.

Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

These activities give rise to knowledge. Engaging in activity prescribed according to ones varṇa and āśrama, the performer attains steadiness in jṣāna (saṁsiddhim), which manifests from within the activities, like a lotus flower arising from its root in the mud. “But how can actions which are said to cause bondage lead to steadiness in jṣāna which is the cause of liberation from bondage?” The Lord then explains that this can happen by particular intelligence in the action.

Surrender Unto Me

What is perfect means? ‑ It means becoming free from the reactions to one's work and becoming free from the modes of material nature. [2. Every man can become perfect by worshiping the Lord through his occupational work which is born of the modes of material nature. This work, even if faultily done, is better than accepting another's occupation. Prescribed duties are never affected by sinful reaction. (46‑48) ]