12.16 Expecting nothing Krishna speaks
अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः
सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः
anapekṣhaḥ śhuchir dakṣha udāsīno gata-vyathaḥ
sarvārambha-parityāgī yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ
Expecting nothing, clean, capable, untroubled, without distress, who has given up every undertaking that grasps — such a devoted one is dear to me.
Explanation
Expecting nothing — and then a strange word for it.
anapekṣaḥ, without expectation; and dakṣaḥ, capable. Not withdrawn, not passive: skilled, and good at what is in front of them.
What is given up is named exactly — every undertaking that grasps. Not undertakings. The Gita has never once asked for less activity, only for a different relationship to its results.
Word by word
- anapekṣhaḥ
- indifferent to worldly gain
- śhuchiḥ
- pure
- dakṣhaḥ
- skillful
- udāsīnaḥ
- without cares
- gata-vyathaḥ
- untroubled
- sarva-ārambha
- of all undertakings
- parityāgī
- renouncer
- saḥ
- who
- mat-bhaktaḥ
- my devotee
- saḥ
- he
- me
- to ne
- priyaḥ
- very dear
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