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Bhagavad-gītā 4.20

त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः । कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः ॥ २० ॥
tyaktvā karma-phalāsaṅgaṁ
[tyaktvaa karma-phalaasangam]
nitya-tṛpto nirāśrayaḥ
[nitya-tripto niraashrayah]
karmaṇy abhipravṛtto ’pi
[karmany abhipravritto ’pi]
naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ
[naiva kinchit karoti sah]
Word-for-word
tyaktvā — having given up karma - phala - āsaṅgam — attachment for fruitive results nitya — always tṛptaḥ — being satisfied nirāśrayaḥ — without any shelter karmaṇi — in activity abhipravṛttaḥ — being fully engaged api — in spite of na — does not eva — certainly kiñcit — anything karoti — do saḥ — he .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tyaktvā karma-phalāsaṅgaṁ
tyaktvā
having given up
karma - phala - āsaṅgam
attachment for fruitive results
nitya-tṛpto nirāśrayaḥ
nitya
always
tṛptaḥ
being satisfied
nirāśrayaḥ
without any shelter
karmaṇy abhipravṛtto ’pi
karmaṇi
in activity
abhipravṛttaḥ
being fully engaged
api
in spite of
naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ
na
does not
eva
certainly
kiñcit
anything
karoti
do
saḥ
he .
Important Words
  • karma - phala - āsaṅgam — attachment to the fruits of action
    Triple compound: karma + phala + āsaṅga (clinging). The thing renounced is named precisely — not action, not even results, but the *clinging* to results. Same teaching as 2.47 but here in its lived form.
  • nitya — always, eternally
    The qualifier matters: not occasionally satisfied but *eternally* satisfied. The state is structural, not circumstantial. This is the distinguishing mark of the self-situated devotee.
  • tṛptaḥ — satisfied
    Past passive participle of √tṛp — 'fed full, satiated.' The image is of a creature already eaten to fullness; food in front of him is not a temptation. Spiritual fullness produces material immunity.
  • nirāśrayaḥ — independent, without dependence
    Nis + ā + √śri — 'without leaning on.' He does not lean on outer supports. His balance comes from within. Many devotees confuse this with isolation; the verse means inner self-sufficiency, not antisocial life.
  • abhipravṛttaḥ — engaged fully
    Abhi + pra + √vṛt — 'fully launched into.' The verse insists: such a person is *engaged in action*, not retreating from it. Detachment is not non-engagement.
  • kiñcit — anything (at all)
    An emphatic 'whatever' — 'he does not do *anything at all*.' The paradox the verse closes on: full action, zero doing. From the soul's vantage, nothing is being added to its account.
Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.
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)
Once attachment to fruits is dropped, the inner ledger goes blank: he is satisfied always, leans on nothing, and even hectic outward activity registers as 'nothing at all.' The verse re-states 4.18's paradox in psychological terms.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
नित्य-तृप्त (ever-content) and निराश्रय (without dependence) are the inner conditions; अभिप्रवृत्त (fully engaged) is the outer fact. The conclusion न एव किञ्चित् करोति is the akarma-in-karma seen earlier. The verse forms a continuous chain 4.18 → 4.19 → 4.20 elaborating one insight.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
कर्म-फल-आसङ्गम् त्यक्त्वा, नित्य-तृप्तः निराश्रयः (सन्), सः कर्मणि अभिप्रवृत्तः अपि न एव किञ्चित् करोति।
karma-phala-āsaṅgam tyaktvā, nitya-tṛptaḥ nirāśrayaḥ (san), saḥ karmaṇi abhipravṛttaḥ api na eva kiñcit karoti|
Having abandoned attachment to the fruit of action, ever-content and independent, even when fully engaged in action he does nothing at all.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
त्यक्त्वा कर्म-फल-आसङ्गम् नित्य-तृप्तः निराश्रयः । कर्मणि अभिप्रवृत्तः अपि न एव किञ्चित् करोति सः ॥
tyaktvā karma-phala-āsaṅgam nitya-tṛptaḥ nirāśrayaḥ | karmaṇi abhipravṛttaḥ api na eva kiñcit karoti saḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
त्यक्त्वा tyaktvā √त्यज् abs. (absolutive) having abandoned
कर्म-फल-आसङ्गम् karma-phala-āsaṅgam कर्मन् + फल + आसङ्ग (m.) acc.sg. (accusative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) attachment to the fruit of action
नित्य-तृप्तः nitya-tṛptaḥ नित्य + तृप्त (p.p.p. (past passive participle)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., karmadhāraya ever-satisfied
निराश्रयः nirāśrayaḥ निर्+आश्रय (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular), bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) without external support
कर्मणि karmaṇi कर्मन् (n.) loc.sg. (locative singular) in action
अभिप्रवृत्तः abhipravṛttaḥ अभि+प्र+√वृत् p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. fully engaged
अपि api ind. (indeclinable), concessive even though
न na ind. (indeclinable), negation not
एव eva ind. (indeclinable), emphatic at all
किञ्चित् kiñcit indef. pron. (pronoun) acc.sg. (accusative singular)n. anything
करोति karoti √कृ pres. (present) 3sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) does
सः saḥ तद् (dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. he
Purport

This freedom from the bondage of actions is possible only in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, when one is doing everything for Kṛṣṇa. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person acts out of pure love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore he has no attraction for the results of the action. He is not even attached to his personal maintenance, for everything is left to Kṛṣṇa. Nor is he anxious to secure things, nor to protect things already in his possession. He does his duty to the best of his ability and leaves everything to Kṛṣṇa. Such an unattached person is always free from the resultant reactions of good and bad; it is as though he were not doing anything. This is the sign of akarma, or actions without fruitive reactions. Any other action, therefore, devoid of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is binding upon the worker, and that is the real aspect of vikarma, as explained hereinbefore.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
20. Though intently engaged in actions, having given up the desire for results of action, being always satisfied, non-dependent on others, this person does nothing at all.
Commentary

This person is always satisfied by his own bliss (nitya-tṛptaḥ). He does not take shelter at all of anything for his livelihood (nirāśrayaḥ).

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
20. Though intently engaged in actions, but having given up the desire for results of action, being always satisfied in realization of ātmā, non-dependent on others, this person does nothing at all.
Commentary

This verse elaborates the point. Having given up attachment to the results of work, satisfied with constant realization of ātmā to be accomplished in the future, devoid of taking shelter of anything even for livelihood, a person so qualified, though engaged in actions, does nothing at all. This is the state of ārurukṣu, one aspiring for the goal, in which one produces steadiness in jñāna under the pretext of performing actions. This indicates that one should understand that the very nature of vikarma or kāmya karma is to produce bondage. [Note: The Lord does not discuss vikarma in detail in these verses, though he mentioned it in verse 17.]

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

We should not give up work; we should be satisfied by dutiful work. We should give up attachment

to the fruits of work. This verse describes a sādhaka, one endeavoring for perfection. The perfec-

tion of this consciousness (siddha) is explained in verses 21 and 22.

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
4.20 With the help of the above-mentioned wisdom, tyaktva, having given up the idea of agentship; and phala-asangam, attachment to the results of action; he who is nitya-trptah, ever-trptah, ever-contented, i.e. has no hankering for objects; and nirasrayah, dependent on nothing-. Asraya means that on which a person leans, desiring to achieve some human goal. The idea is that he is dependent of any support which may be a means of attaining some coveted seen or unseen result. In reality, actions done by a man of Knowledge are certainly inactions, since he is endowed with the realization of the actionless Self. Actions together with their accessories must be relinished by one who has become thus, because they have no end to serve. This being so, api, even though; he remains abhi-pravrttah, engaged as before; karmani, in actions-getting out of those (actions) being impossible-, either with the intention of preventing people from going astray or with a view to avoiding the censure of the wise people; sah, he; eva, really; na karoti, does not do; kincit, anything, because he is endued with the realization of the actionless Self. [From the subjective standpoint of the enlightened there are no actions, but ordinary people mistakenly think them to be actions, which in reality are a mere semblance of it.] On the other hand, one who is the opposite of the above-mentioned one, (and) in whom, even before undertaking works, has dawned the realization of his identity with Brahman, the all-pervasive, inmost, actionless Self; who,being bereft of solicitation for desirable objects seen or unseen, has renounced actions along with their accessories, by virtue of seeing no purpose to be served by undertaking actions meant to secure some seen or unseen result, and makes effort only for the maintenance of the body, he, the monk steadfast in Knowledge, becomes free. Hence, in order to express this idea the Lord says:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
4.20 Whoever performs actions, renouncing attachment to their fruits and is satisfied with the eternal, i.e., satisfied with his own self, and dependent on none, i.e., devoid of dependence on transient Prakrti (body and external nature) - such a perosn, even though fully engaged in actions, does not act at all. He is engaged in the practice of knowledge under the form of action. Again, Karma, having the form of knowledge, is examined:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
4.20 See Comment under 4.21
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
4.20 Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of the action, ever content, depending on nothing, he does not do anything though engaged in activity.
Commentary

4.20 त्यक्त्वा having abandoned? कर्मफलासङ्गम् attachment to the fruits of action? नित्यतृप्तः even content? निराश्रयः depending on nothing? कर्मणि in action? अभिप्रवृत्तः engaged? अपि even? न not? एव verily? किञ्चित् anything? करोति does? सः he.Commentary The same idea of inaction in action is repeated here to produce a deep impression on the minds of the aspirants. He who works for the wellbeing of the world and he who performs actions without egoism and attachment for the fruits? to set an example to the masses? really does nothing at all though he is ever engaged in activity? as he possesses the knowledge of the Self which is beyond all activity and as he has realised his identity with It.As Brahman the Absolute is selfcontained? all the desires are gratified if one realises the Self. He is ever satisfied and does not depend on anything? just as a man who has the favour of the king does not depend on the minister or the government official for anything. (Cf.IV.41)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
4.20 Having given up attachment to the results of action, he who is ever-contented, dependent on nothing, he really does not do anything even though engaged in action.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
4.20 Having surrendered all claim to the results of his actions, always contented and independent, in reality he does nothing, even though he is apparently acting.
Related values & verses
Related values
Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)
Related verses
BG 3.17 BG 2.55 BG 12.19 SB 7.15.15 SB 11.14.17 SB 5.5.1 CC Antya 6.225 CC Madhya 22.100 CC Madhya 19.167 Īśa Upaniṣad 1 BRS 1.2.255
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Free from attachment to results, ever satisfied and independent — though engaged in action, he does nothing at all.
Practical Applications
  • Cultivate self-satisfaction (nitya-tṛpta) as a defense against result-anxiety.
  • Reduce your dependence on others' praise to fuel work.
  • Find the 'doing nothing' inside the doing.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I still need praise to keep going?
  • What does 'satisfied within' feel like for me?
Analogy

A lamp full of oil burns steadily through the night without needing the wick to ask for more fuel; an empty lamp needs constant attention. Nitya-tṛpta is the inner state of the full lamp — never asking the outer world for what it cannot supply. Such a one acts but, from the soul's perspective, performs nothing.

Stories
Śukadeva on the move

Śukadeva walked through the world naked and silent, with no destination of his own. He stopped where he was called; he spoke where he was asked; he ate what was offered. Bhāgavatam shows him entering Parīkṣit's hearing for seven days, fully active, and then dissolving back into his independent wandering.

Nitya-tṛptaḥ, nirāśrayaḥ — eternally satisfied, taking no shelter. He performed enormous spiritual service (the speaking of Bhāgavatam) yet from his side did nothing at all, because nothing was added to or subtracted from his fullness.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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