यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः ।आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ॥
yas tv ātmaratir eva syād ātmatṛptaś ca mānavaḥ |ātmany eva ca santuṣṭas tasya kāryaṃ na vidyate ||
- यः · yaḥ
- who
- तु · tu
- but
- आत्मरतिः · ātmaratiḥ
- delighting in the self
- एव · eva
- only, alone
- स्यात् · syāt
- may be, is
- आत्मतृप्तः · ātmatṛptaḥ
- content in the self
- च · ca
- and
- मानवः · mānavaḥ
- a human being
- आत्मनि · ātmani
- in the self
- सन्तुष्टः · santuṣṭaḥ
- satisfied
- तस्य · tasya
- for him
- कार्यम् · kāryam
- duty to be done
- न · na
- not
- विद्यते · vidyate
- exists
“But a person who delights only in the self, content in the self, and satisfied in the self alone — for such a one there is no duty left to do.”
— Original plain-language translation
An exception appears: the self-realized sage, wanting nothing, stands beyond obligation. Krishna is honest that duty binds only the seeker — yet, as the next verses show, even the freed may act for the world's welfare. Freedom from duty is not freedom from compassion.
— Reader's notes (original)