तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर ।असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ॥
tasmād asaktaḥ satataṃ kāryaṃ karma samācara |asakto hy ācaran karma param āpnoti pūruṣaḥ ||
- तस्मात् · tasmāt
- therefore
- असक्तः · asaktaḥ
- unattached
- सततम् · satatam
- always, constantly
- कार्यम् · kāryam
- what ought to be done
- कर्म · karma
- action, work
- समाचर · samācara
- perform, carry out
- हि · hi
- indeed, for
- आचरन् · ācaran
- performing
- परम् · param
- the supreme
- आप्नोति · āpnoti
- attains
- पूरुषः · pūruṣaḥ
- a person
“Therefore, ever unattached, perform the work that ought to be done. For by doing work unattached, a person attains the supreme.”
— Original plain-language translation
The chapter's direct command: detachment is not withdrawal but the manner of doing. Kārya karma — work that must be done — becomes the ladder when done without clutching. Means and goal coincide: unattached action both purifies and liberates.
— Reader's notes (original)