18.9 Letting go, of clarity Krishna speaks

कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन
सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः

kāryam ity eva yat karma niyataṁ kriyate ‘rjuna
saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalaṁ chaiva sa tyāgaḥ sāttviko mataḥ

But one who does the action that falls to them because it is to be done, having let go of attachment and of its fruit — that letting go is of clarity.

Explanation

And the letting go that is of clarity.

Doing the work that falls to you because it is to be done — kāryam ity eva — with attachment and fruit released.

The same phrase as 17.11's offering. Across food, ritual and now renunciation itself, the highest grade is always the one done for no further reason.

Word by word

kāryam: as a duty
iti: as
eva: indeed
yat: which
karma niyatam: obligatory actions
kriyate: are performed
arjuna: Arjun
saṅgam: attachment
tyaktvā: relinquishing
phalam: reward
cha: and
eva: certainly
saḥ: such
tyāgaḥ: renunciation of desires for enjoying the fruits of actions
sāttvikaḥ: in the mode of goodness
mataḥ: considered