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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 4.23
गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः ।
यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥ २३ ॥
gata-saṅgasya muktasya
jñānāvasthita-cetasaḥ
yajñāyācarataḥ karma
samagraṁ pravilīyate
The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
The work of one free from attachment to the material modes and fully established in spiritual knowledge merges into transcendence.
Prabhupāda explains that a fully Kṛṣṇa conscious person works only for Kṛṣṇa. Such work is sacrifice and brings no material reactions.
Aim to satisfy Kṛṣṇa through your work.
These notes cover verses 4.19–24
“Akarma in Karma” (inaction in action)
Main characteristic — Works without attachment (Detached) to sense gratification (4.19)
Detached from fruits — Acts without fruitive attachment, although engaged in all undertakings (4.20)
Ever-satisfied and independent (4.20*)
Self-control — Mind and intelligence fully controlled (4.21)
Freedom from sense of proprietorship (4.21)
Desires only bare necessities (4.21)
Self-satisfaction — Satisfied with whatever comes by providence with no over-endeavor (4.22*)
Freedom from duality — nothing can hamper his service (4.22*)
Steadiness — Steady in success and failure (4.22*)
Freedom from envy (4.22*)
Detached from the modes (4.23*)
Fully situated in transcendental knowledge (4.23*)
Such kind of work merges into transcendence (4.23*)
Absolute quality of a sacrifice performed in Krishna consciousness has no reaction (4.24)
Texts 4.22 & 4.23
Text 4.23 introduces yajna which will be expanded upon in Texts 4.25 — 4.33
Texts 4.23 & 4.24
Krishna summarizes His teachings on akarma by next describing the absolute quality of a sacrifice performed in spiritual consciousness
One can perform detached actions in Krishna’s service by applying ‘transcendental knowledge’ They are called akarma
Akarma refers to actions without reactions and such actions are on the absolute platform
Krishna explains how in this way karma can be seen as jnana
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: karma, sva-dharma.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 4.23 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?
Do one task today purely because it is right.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.