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Bhagavad-gītā 18.45

स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरत: संसिद्धिं लभते नर स्वकर्मनिरत: सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्‍छृणु ॥ ४५ ॥
sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ
[sve sve karmany abhiratah]
saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ
[samsiddhim labhate narah]
sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṁ
[sva-karma-niratah siddhim]
yathā vindati tac chṛṇu
[yathaa vindati tach chrinu]
Word-for-word
sve sve — each his own karmaṇi — work abhirataḥ — following saṁsiddhim — perfection labhate — achieves naraḥ — a man sva - karma — in his own duty nirataḥ — engaged siddhim — perfection yathā — as vindati — attains tat — that śṛṇu — listen .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ
sve sve
each his own
karmaṇi
work
abhirataḥ
following
saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ
saṁsiddhim
perfection
labhate
achieves
naraḥ
a man
sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṁ
sva - karma
in his own duty
nirataḥ
engaged
siddhim
perfection
yathā vindati tac chṛṇu
yathā
as
vindati
attains
tat
that
śṛṇu
listen .
Important Words
  • sve sve — each his own
    Doubled possessive — emphatic. *Each one in his own*. Not someone else's work. The repetition closes the door on borrowed dharma.
  • abhirataḥ — engaged, devoted to
    Past participle from abhi-ram — to take delight in. The verse asks for not mere participation but loving engagement with one's prescribed work.
  • saṁsiddhim — perfection
    Sam-siddhi — complete attainment. The same word used elsewhere for spiritual perfection. The radical claim: full svabhāva-karma produces full siddhi, regardless of varṇa.
  • nirataḥ — engaged
    Past participle. With sva-karma: fully absorbed in one's own work. Nirata is even stronger than abhirata — set into it. The verse twice emphasizes complete devotion to one's specific work.
  • vindati — attains, finds
    From vid — to find. Not 'earns' but 'discovers.' The perfection was already there in the rightly-done work; one *finds* it by doing the work rightly.
By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Each person, devoted to his own constitutional work, can reach the highest perfection. Sva-dharma is not just acceptable — it is the very path to siddhi. The method is announced in v. 46.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
A democratization of the soteriological payoff: spiritual perfection is available within each varṇa's work, not only through Brahmanical renunciation. The verse anticipates the Gītā's bhakti-yoga synthesis — any work, offered rightly, is yoga. 'Saṁsiddhi' (full perfection) is the technical term for the inner readiness that opens to jñāna (cf. v. 50).
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
स्वे स्वे कर्मणि अभिरतः नरः संसिद्धिं लभते । स्व-कर्म-निरतः यथा सिद्धिं विन्दति, तत् शृणु ।
sve sve karmaṇi abhirataḥ naraḥ saṃsiddhiṃ labhate | sva-karma-nirataḥ yathā siddhiṃ vindati, tat śṛṇu |
Devoted to his own work, a person attains perfection. Hear now how one engrossed in his own work obtains that perfection.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
स्वे स्वे कर्मणि अभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः । स्व-कर्म-निरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तत् शृणु ॥
sve sve karmaṇi abhirataḥ saṃsiddhiṃ labhate naraḥ | sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṃ yathā vindati tat śṛṇu ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
स्वे स्वे sve sve स्व (pron. (pronoun)) loc.sg. (locative singular)n., distributive in his own respective
कर्मणि karmaṇi कर्मन् (n.) loc.sg. (locative singular) work
अभिरतः abhirataḥ अभि + √रम् p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. devoted
संसिद्धिम् saṃsiddhim संसिद्धि (f.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) perfection
लभते labhate √लभ् pres. (present) 3sg.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) attains
नरः naraḥ नर (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) person
स्व-कर्म-निरतः sva-karma-nirataḥ tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. engaged in own work
सिद्धिम् siddhim सिद्धि (f.) acc.sg. (accusative singular) perfection
यथा yathā ind. (indeclinable) how
विन्दति vindati √विद् pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) obtains
तत् tat तद् (pron. (pronoun)) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. that
शृणु śṛṇu √श्रु impv. 2sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) hear!
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
45. Man achieves complete success being engaged in his particular duties. Hear how one attains success by engagement in one’s duties.
Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
45. Man achieves complete success, attainment of jñāna, being engaged in his particular duties. Hear how one attains success by engagement in one’s duties.
Commentary

These activities give rise to knowledge. Engaging in activity prescribed according to ones varṇa and āśrama, the performer attains steadiness in jñāna (saṁsiddhim), which manifests from within the activities, like a lotus flower arising from its root in the mud. “But how can actions which are said to cause bondage lead to steadiness in jñāna which is the cause of liberation from bondage?” The Lord then explains that this can happen by particular intelligence in the action.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

What is perfect means? ‑ It means becoming free from the reactions to one's work and becoming free from the modes of material nature.

[2. Every man can become perfect by worshiping the Lord through his occupational work which is born of the modes of material nature. This work, even if faultily done, is better than accepting another's occupation. Prescribed duties are never affected by sinful reaction. (46‑48) ]

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Anyone can become perfect by following the duties of his work. That is explained in 18.46, which

explains how one should perform his duties

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
5.10 On the other hand, again, one who is ignorant of the Truth and is engaged in Karma-yoga, yah, who; karoti, acts; adhaya, by dedicating, by surrendering; all karmani, actions; brahmani, to Brahman, to God; with the idea, 'I am working for Him, as a servant does everything for his master', and tyaktva, by renouncing; sangam, attachment, even with regard to teh resulting Liberation; sah, he; na lipyate, does not get polluted, is not affected; papena, by sin; iva, just as; padma-patram, a lotus leaf; is not ambhasa, by water. The only result that will certainly accrue from such action will be the purification of the heart.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
5.10 Here the term, Brahman denotes Prakrti. Later on Sri Krsna will say: 'The great Brahman is My womb' (14.3). Since Prakrti abides in the form of senses which are particular off-shoots of Prakrti, he who, as said in the passage beginning with 'Even though he is seeing, hearing ৷৷.' (5.8), understands that all actions proceed from Brahman (Prakrti); renounces all attachment while engaging himself in all actions, reflecting, 'I am doing nothing.' Such a person, though existing in contact with Prakrti, is not contaminated by sin which is the result of the wrong identification of the Atman with Prakrti and is the cause of bondage. Just as a lotus leaf is not wetted by water, actions do not affect or defile a person with sin, if he is free from such identification with the body.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
5.10 See Comment under 5.11
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
5.10 He who does actions, offering them to Brahman, and abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus-leaf is not tainted by water.
Commentary

5.10 ब्रह्मणि in Brahman? आधाय having placed? कर्माणि actions? सङ्गम् attachment? त्यक्त्वा having abandoned? करोति acts? यः who? लिप्यते is tainted? न not? सः he? पापेन by sin? पद्मपत्रम् lotusleaf? इव like? अम्भसा by water.Commentary Chapter IV verses 18? 20? 21? 22? 23? 37? 41 Chapter V verses 10? 11 and 12 all convey the one idea that the Yogi who does actions without egoism and attachment to results or fruits of the actions? which he regards as offerings unto the Lord? is not tainted by the actions (Karma). He has no attachment even for Moksha. He sees inaction in action. All his actions are burnt in the fire of wisdom. He escapes from the wheel of Samsara. He is freed from the round of births and deaths. He gets purity of heart and through purity of heart attains to the knowledge of the Self. Through the knowledge of the Self he is liberated. This is the gist of the above ten verses. (Cf.III.30)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
5.10 One who acts by dedicating actions to Brahman and by renouncing attachment, he does not become polluted by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not by water.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
5.10 He who dedicates his actions to the Spirit, without any personal attachment to them, he is no more tainted by sin than the water lily is wetted by water.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 3.35 BG 2.47 BG 18.47 SB 11.20.9 SB 7.11.35 SB 1.2.13 CC Madhya 8.58 CC Madhya 22.88 CC Madhya 19.50 Īśa Upaniṣad 2 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.1.10
Sciences essays referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
By his own work, every man can become perfect — hear how this is so.
Practical Applications
  • Trust that your own work is the path to perfection.
  • Don't seek perfection elsewhere.
  • Engage your work as the field of sādhana.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I seek perfection elsewhere?
  • What would treating current work as sādhana look like?
Analogy

A blacksmith does not become spiritually fit by trying to chant Sanskrit in the temple; he becomes fit by hammering iron with offered hands. The same anvil that bound his neighbor's worker liberates him. Saṁsiddhi waits not in the work but in the *fit* between the work and the worker.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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