Bhagavad Gita quotes: well-known verses and their meaning
Verses of the Bhagavad Gita that many people quote, by theme. Each verse links to its own page, with all 3 old translations and, where we have them, the readings by school.
Explanation written for this site and checked against the cited edition. Free to quote with credit.
Work, its results and duty
Krishna on doing your work without making its result your motive, on the path of action, on the example that others follow, and on keeping to your own dharma.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन । मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 48.
Your business is with action alone; not by any means with fruit. Let not the fruit of action be your motive (to action). Let not your attachment be (fixed) on inaction1.
Our explanation: Krishna tells Arjuna that his right is to the action alone, never to its results. He should not make the result his reason to act, and he should not cling to doing nothing either.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 48–49.
Having recourse to devotion, O Dhanañgaya! perform actions, casting off (all) attachment, and being equable in success or ill-success; (such) equability is called devotion.
Our explanation: Krishna tells Arjuna to act while established in yoga: to let go of attachment and to stay the same in success and failure. This evenness of mind, he says, is what yoga means.
Before this verse, Arjuna asks (3.1–3.2): if understanding is better than action, why does Krishna urge him into this terrible action, the war? He asks Krishna to tell him the one way to the highest good.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 52.
The Deity said:
O sinless one! I have already declared, that in this world there is a twofold path1—that of the Sâṅkhyas by devotion in the shape of (true) knowledge; and that of the Yogins by devotion in the shape of action.
Our explanation: Krishna answers. He says that he taught earlier (purā) a twofold path (niṣṭhā) in this world: the yoga of knowledge (jñāna-yoga) for the Sankhyas, and the yoga of action (karma-yoga) for the yogins. He calls Arjuna sinless (anagha).
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः । स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 54.
Whatever a great man does, that other men also do. And people follow whatever he receives as authority.
Our explanation: Whatever a leading person (śreṣṭha) does, other people do the same, Krishna says. Whatever standard such a person sets, the world follows.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 56.
One's own duty, though defective, is better than another's duty well performed. Death in (performing) one's own duty is preferable; the (performance of the) duty of others is dangerous.
Our explanation: Krishna says that one's own dharma (svadharma), even done imperfectly (viguṇa), is better than another's dharma done well. Death while keeping to one's own dharma is better; another's dharma brings danger (bhaya).
Grief, death and the self
Krishna’s words to Arjuna in his grief: on birth and death, on the self that is not born and does not die, and on pleasure and pain, which come and go.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 43–44.
The Deity said:
You have grieved for those who deserve no grief, and you talk words of wisdom1. Learned men grieve not for the living nor the dead.
Footnotes (the translator’s own)
Scil. regarding family-rites, &c., for, says Nîlakantha, they indicate knowledge of soul as distinct from body. ↩
Our explanation: Krishna begins his teaching. He tells Arjuna that he is grieving for those who need no grief, while speaking words that sound wise. The truly wise, he says, do not grieve for the dead or for the living.
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा । तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ॥
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 44.
As in this body, infancy and youth and old age (come) to the embodied (self)1, so does the acquisition of another body; a sensible man is not deceived about that.
Footnotes (the translator’s own)
A common word in the Gîtâ, that which presides over each individual body. ↩
Our explanation: Krishna explains: the one who lives in the body passes through childhood, youth and old age in this body. In the same way it passes on to another body. A steady, wise person is not confused by this.
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः । आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 44.
The contacts of the senses1, O son of Kuntî! which produce cold and heat, pleasure and pain, are not permanent, they are ever coming and going. Bear them, O descendant of Bharata!
Our explanation: Krishna says that when the senses meet their objects, a person feels cold and heat, pleasure and pain. These come and go; none of them lasts. He asks Arjuna to bear them patiently.
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 45.
It is not born, nor does it ever die, nor, having existed, does it exist no more. Unborn, everlasting, unchangeable, and primeval, it is not killed when the body is killed1.
Our explanation: Krishna says that the self is never born and never dies. It did not come into being at some point, and it will not stop being. It is unborn, eternal, lasting and ancient. When the body is killed, it is not killed.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 45.
As a man, casting off old clothes, puts on others and new ones, so the embodied (self) casting off old bodies, goes to others and new ones.
Our explanation: Krishna gives an image. Just as a person throws away worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, the one who lives in the body leaves worn-out bodies and enters new ones.
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च । तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 45–46.
For to one that is born, death is certain; and to one that dies, birth is certain1. Therefore about (this) unavoidable thing, you ought not to grieve.
Footnotes (the translator’s own)
Cf. the following from the Sutta Nipâta (Sir M. C. Swamy's translation), pp. 124, 125: 'There is, indeed, no means by which those born could be prevented from dying.' 'Even thus the world is afflicted with death and decay; therefore wise men, knowing the course of things in the world, do not give way to grief.' ↩
Our explanation: Krishna says that death is certain for whoever is born, and birth is certain for whoever dies. So, he says, Arjuna should not grieve over what cannot be avoided.
Desire, anger and the restless mind
Krishna on how attachment grows into desire and anger and where anger leads, on lifting oneself up by one’s own effort, and on holding the restless mind by practice and detachment.
Our explanation: Krishna traces how a person falls. Thinking about sense objects creates attachment to them. Attachment gives rise to desire, and desire gives rise to anger.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 50–51.
from anger results want of discrimination1; from want of discrimination, confusion of the memory; from confusion of the memory, loss of reason; and in consequence of loss of reason he is utterly ruined.
I. e. between right and wrong. Confusion of memory=forgetfulness of Sâstras and rules prescribed in them. ↩
Our explanation: Krishna goes on with the chain. He says that from anger comes confusion, and confusion clouds memory; when memory fails, judgement is lost, and when judgement is lost, the person is ruined.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 67–68.
(A man) should elevate his self by his self1; he should not debase his self, for even (a man's) own self is his friend, (a man's) own self is also his enemy2.
Footnotes (the translator’s own)
I. e. by means of a mind possessed of true discrimination. ↩
Self is here explained as mind, the unsteadiness of which prevents the acquisition of devotion, p. 71. ↩
Our explanation: Krishna says that one should lift oneself up by oneself, and not let oneself sink down, for the self alone is one's friend and the self alone is one's enemy. The Sanskrit uses one word, ātman, for both sides, so the verse can be read in more than one way.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 71.
The Deity said:
Doubtless, O you of mighty arms! the mind is difficult to restrain, and fickle1. Still, O son of Kuntî! it may be restrained by constant practice and by indifference (to worldly objects).
Our explanation: Krishna answers that the mind is, without doubt, restless and hard to hold back, but it can be held by practice (abhyāsa) and by detachment (vairāgya). He calls Arjuna mighty-armed and son of Kunti.
God and devotion
Why Krishna comes into the world, what he does for those who worship him, the simple offering he accepts, the devotee who is dear to him, and his call to take refuge in him. In 12.1 Arjuna asks a question about worship.
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत । अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदाऽऽत्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 59.
Whensoever, O descendant of Bharata! piety languishes, and impiety is in the ascendant, I create myself.
Our explanation: Krishna tells Arjuna that whenever dharma declines and adharma rises, he brings himself forth. This is one of the best-known verses of the Gita.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 59.
I am born age after age, for the protection of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers, and the establishment of piety.
Our explanation: Krishna says why he comes: to protect the good, to destroy those who do evil, and to set dharma firmly in place. For this he is born in age after age (yuge yuge). Together, 4.7 and 4.8 are the Gita's own words on why the divine takes birth, the teaching of avatāra.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 84.
To those men who worship me, meditating on me and on no one else, and who are constantly devoted, I give new gifts and preserve what is acquired by them1.
Footnotes (the translator’s own)
Cf. Dhammapada, stanza 23. I. e. attainment to the Brahman and not returning from it.—Râmânuga. ↩
Our explanation: Krishna says that for those who think of him alone and worship him, always joined to him, he himself carries their yoga-kṣema: gaining what they lack and keeping what they have.
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति । तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ॥
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 85.
Whoever with devotion offers me leaf, flower, fruit, water, that, presented with devotion, I accept from him whose self is pure.
Our explanation: Krishna says that whoever offers him a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water with devotion, he accepts that offering of love from one whose heart is pure.
एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते । ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 99.
Arguna said:
Of the worshippers, who thus, constantly devoted, meditate on you, and those who (meditate) on the unperceived and indestructible, which best know devotion?
Our explanation: Arjuna asks a question. Some devotees are always joined to Krishna in this way, as described at the end of chapter 11, and worship him. Others worship the Imperishable (akṣara), the Unmanifest (avyakta). Which of the two knows yoga better?
Krishna’s description of the devotee who is dear to him runs from this verse to 12.20, the end of chapter 12. This page shows only the first of these verses.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 101.
That devotee of mine, who hates no being, who is friendly and compassionate, who is free from egoism, and from (the idea that this or that is) mine, to whom happiness and misery are alike, who is forgiving, contented, constantly devoted, self-restrained, and firm in his determinations, and whose mind and understanding are devoted to me, he is dear to me.
This sentence covers verses 12.13 to 12.14.
Our explanation: From here to the end of the chapter, Krishna describes the devotee who is dear to him. Such a person hates no being, is friendly and compassionate, has no sense of “mine” and no ego, stays the same in pain and pleasure, and is forgiving.
Old translation: Kashinath Trimbak Telang, 1882. Public domain. Page 129.
Forsaking all duties1, come to me as (your) sole refuge. I will release you from all sins. Be not grieved.
Footnotes (the translator’s own)
Of caste or order, such as Agnihotra and so forth. ↩
Our explanation: Krishna says: give up all dharmas and come to him alone for refuge; he will free Arjuna from all sins; do not grieve. The verse is short and much discussed.
In this text, 32 words follow today's common wording, checked against sanskritdocuments.org; Sanskrit Wikisource; Gita Press, Gorakhpur; GRETIL, Göttingen and Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.
Our explanation
Explanation written for this site from the sources listed here, and checked against the cited edition. It is not a translation and not the only way to read the text. Free to quote with credit.
Checked
Checked against the cited edition, October 27, 2026.