Karma Yoga · Verse 28

Bhagavad Gita 3.28

Seeing action as nature's movement ends attachment.

Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla. Commentary AI-drafted, human-reviewed. Reviewed June 2026. Methodology →

तत्त्ववित्तु महाबाहो गुणकर्मविभागयोः ।
गुणा गुणेषु वर्तन्त इति मत्वा न सज्जते ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
हे महाबाहो गुणविभाग और कर्मविभागको तत्त्वसे जाननेवाला महापुरुष सम्पूर्ण गुण ही गुणोंमें बरत रहे हैं ऐसा मानकर उनमें आसक्त नहीं होता ॥
English
The one who truly understands the division of qualities and actions does not cling, seeing that qualities act upon qualities.

What this verse means

A person who understands how qualities and actions work sees that nature is doing the acting, not the separate ego. That understanding removes attachment.

Context & commentary

On Kurukshetra, Arjuna is frozen between duty and grief. Krishna deepens the lesson: the wise person sees that the forces of nature are moving through action, not a separate doer. That vision ends clinging.

Why this verse still matters

You watch yourself getting pulled into a family argument, then catch the pattern before speaking. The pause changes everything: you stop defending a self-image and start seeing the forces at work.

The takeaway

You can stay involved without getting entangled. Clear seeing creates freedom.

Word-by-word translation

तत्त्ववित् (one who knows the truth) / तु (indeed) / महाबाहो (mighty-armed one) / गुणकर्मविभागयोः (of the division of qualities and actions) / गुणाः (the qualities) / गुणेषु (among the qualities) / वर्तन्ते (move/operate) / इति (thus) / मत्वा (having understood) / न (not) / सज्जते (becomes attached)

Explore related themes: karma yoga (55 verses), vairagya (51 verses), gunas (47 verses)

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