Karma Yoga
The Path of Selfless Action
Karma Yoga is one of the primary paths described in the Bhagavad Gita. It teaches the practice of performing one's duty without attachment to the results. The essence of karma yoga is to act selflessly, dedicating all actions to the divine.
Krishna emphasizes that action is inevitable and necessary, but attachment to outcomes creates bondage. Through karma yoga, one learns to work with skill, balance, and equanimity—treating success and failure, pleasure and pain with equal vision.
Core Principles
Selfless Service
Perform your duties without desire for personal gain. Dedicate all actions to the welfare of others and the divine.
Detachment from Results
You have a right to perform your duty, but not to the fruits of action. Focus on the quality of work, not the outcome.
Skill in Action
Yoga is skill in action. Work with excellence, balance, and equanimity regardless of circumstances.
Duty Over Desire
Prioritize your dharma (duty) over personal preferences. Even imperfect action aligned with your path is better than perfect action on another's.
All Karma Yoga Verses (52)
Moral confusion before right action
I see only adverse omens, O Krishna, and I do not foresee any good from killing my own kinsmen in battle.
Moral confusion before right action
I see only adverse omens, O Krishna, and I do not foresee any good from killing my own kinsmen in battle.
Treat opposites with equanimity
Fight for the sake of duty, treating alike happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Fulfilling your responsibility in this way, you will never incur sin.
Focus on action, not outcomes
You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.
Equanimity in success and failure
Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.
Equanimity in success and failure
Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.
Yoga transcends ordinary morality
One who practices yoga of the intellect abandons both good and bad deeds in this life. Therefore, strive for yoga. Yoga is skill in action.
Equanimity in pleasure and pain
One who is not disturbed in spite of miseries, who doesn't crave happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.
Characteristics of a wise person
One who is not disturbed in spite of threefold miseries, who is not elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.
Renunciation needs a higher purpose
The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.
Renounce attachment to desires
That person who gives up all material desires and lives free from a sense of possessiveness, proprietorship, and egotism, attains perfect peace.
Renounce attachment to desires
That person who gives up all material desires and lives free from a sense of possessiveness, proprietorship, and egotism, attains perfect peace.
Action is necessary for spiritual growth
Not by abstaining from action does one attain freedom from action. Nor by mere renunciation does one attain perfection.
Action is inevitable
No one can remain without action even for a moment. Indeed, all beings are compelled to act by their qualities born of material nature.
Action is inevitable
No one can remain without action even for a moment. Indeed, all beings are compelled to act by their qualities born of material nature.
Duty must be performed
Perform your prescribed duty, for action is better than inaction. Even the maintenance of your physical body cannot be achieved without action.
Action is better than inaction
You should thus perform your prescribed Vedic duties, since action is superior to inaction. By ceasing activity, even your bodily maintenance will not be possible.
Action is better than inaction
You should thus perform your prescribed Vedic duties, since action is superior to inaction. By ceasing activity, even your bodily maintenance will not be possible.
Live in harmony with cosmic order
My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow the cycle of sacrifice lives in vain, who is sensual by nature, lives uselessly.
Self-realized have transcended duty
But those who rejoice in the self, who are illumined and fully satisfied in the self, for them there is no duty.
Consistent detached action leads to liberation
Therefore, without attachment, constantly perform action which is duty, for by performing action without attachment, one attains the Supreme.
Leaders set examples for others
Whatever action a great person performs, common people follow. And whatever standards they set by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.
Ego creates the illusion of doership
The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.
Surrender all actions to the divine
Therefore, surrendering all your works unto Me, with mind intent on the self, free from desire and possessiveness, and cured of mental fever, fight.
Stay true to your own path
It is far better to discharge one's prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another's duties perfectly. Better to die performing one's own duty than adopt another's, for that is dangerous.
Wisdom transcends apparent action
One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among people. They are in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.
Detached action purifies the soul
One who performs their duty without attachment, surrendering the results to the Supreme, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.
Peace comes from renouncing outcomes
The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace by renouncing the fruits of action, whereas the unsteady soul is bound by desire for rewards.
Peace comes from renouncing outcomes
The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace by renouncing the fruits of action, whereas the unsteady soul is bound by desire for rewards.
Inner joy transcends external pleasures
Those who are not attached to external sense pleasures realize divine bliss in the self. Being united with God through meditation, they experience unending happiness.
Inner joy transcends external pleasures
Those who are not attached to external sense pleasures realize divine bliss in the self. Being united with God through meditation, they experience unending happiness.
The mind requires consistent practice
The mind is restless and difficult to restrain, but it is subdued by practice and detachment.
Mind can be controlled with practice
Lord Krishna said: Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed one, the mind is restless and difficult to control. But it can be controlled, Arjuna, through regular practice and detachment.
Constant remembrance amid action
Therefore, remember Me at all times and fight. With mind and intellect surrendered to Me, you will certainly attain Me.
Constant remembrance amid action
Therefore, remember Me at all times and fight. With mind and intellect surrendered to Me, you will certainly attain Me.
Transform all actions into worship
Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer, whatever you give, whatever austerity you perform—do that as an offering to Me.
We are instruments of divine will
Therefore, arise and attain glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. They are already slain by My arrangement; you are merely an instrument.
We are instruments of divine will
Therefore, arise and attain glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. They are already slain by My arrangement; you are merely an instrument.
Be a witness to the play of gunas
Those who remain neutral like a witness, unshaken by the gunas, knowing that the gunas alone are active, remain steadfast and do not waver.
Be a witness to the play of gunas
Those who remain neutral like a witness, unshaken by the gunas, knowing that the gunas alone are active, remain steadfast and do not waver.
Cosmic tree represents material existence
The branches of the tree extend both upward and downward, nourished by the three gunas, with sense objects as the sprouts. Its roots extend downward, binding one to actions in the human world.
Material world is illusory
The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world, nor its beginning, end, or existence. Cut down this firmly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment.
Scriptures guide right action
Therefore, let the scriptures be your authority in determining what should be done and what should not be done. Understanding the scriptural injunctions, you should perform your duties here.
Scriptures guide right action
Therefore, let the scriptures be your authority in determining what should be done and what should not be done. Understanding the scriptural injunctions, you should perform your duties here.
Sattvic sacrifice is dutiful
Sacrifice that is performed as a duty, without desire for reward, according to scriptural injunctions, with a concentrated mind—that is of the nature of goodness.
Qualities of spiritual leadership
Tranquility, self-control, austerity, purity, forgiveness, uprightness, knowledge, realization, and faith in God—these are the natural qualities of work for brahmins.
Qualities of spiritual leadership
Tranquility, self-control, austerity, purity, forgiveness, uprightness, knowledge, realization, and faith in God—these are the natural qualities of work for brahmins.
Complete detachment from outcomes
Those whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who have mastered the self and are free from desires, attain through renunciation the supreme state of freedom from action.
Complete detachment from outcomes
Those whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who have mastered the self and are free from desires, attain through renunciation the supreme state of freedom from action.
Divine grace removes confusion
Arjuna said: O infallible Krishna, my illusion is dispelled, and by Your grace I have regained memory. I am now firm and free from doubt, and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.
Divine grace removes confusion
Arjuna said: O infallible Krishna, my illusion is dispelled, and by Your grace I have regained memory. I am now firm and free from doubt, and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.
Divine presence ensures success
Wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality.