सर्वभूतात्मभूतात्मा कुर्वन्नपि न लिप्यते ॥
A disciplined yogi, pure in mind, self-mastered, and senses conquered, sees the same self in all beings and is not tainted by action while acting.
A core teaching · reflective in mood · a little context helps
“Inner freedom lets action happen without leaving a trace.”
A disciplined yogi, pure in mind, self-mastered, and senses conquered, sees the same self in all beings and is not tainted by action while acting.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
Read literallyjoined in yoga · pure inner being · self-mastered · senses conquered · whose self has become the self of all beings · even while acting · not · is stained, clings
A person grounded in yoga, with a pure mind and mastered senses, acts without being stained by action because they see the same self in all beings.
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Karma Sanyasa Yoga" (The Yoga of Renunciation).
Verse 7 sits in Chapter 5 of the Bhagavad Gita — Karma Sanyasa Yoga, "The Yoga of Renunciation". The chapter has 29 verses in total.
You answer the message, attend the meeting, and still feel the pull to perform, impress, or defend yourself. This verse says the work can happen without the inner stain of grasping.
Did you like this verse?
It shifts action from self-protection to clear participation, so work happens without leaving a residue of clinging.
What this verse means
A person grounded in yoga, with a pure mind and mastered senses, acts without being stained by action because they see the same self in all beings.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield at Kurukshetra, Arjuna is still frozen between action and renunciation. Krishna explains that true renunciation is not escape, but inner mastery: a person who has purified the mind, controlled the senses, and sees one self in all beings can act without being bound.
Why this verse still matters
You answer the message, attend the meeting, and still feel the pull to perform, impress, or defend yourself. This verse says the work can happen without the inner stain of grasping.
“You can stay fully active without getting spiritually or emotionally contaminated by what you do.”
Explore related themes: karma sannyasa (11 verses)