Action (Karma)

Sanskrit: कर्म

50 verses related to this theme

What This Theme Means

Karma Yoga is the path of dedicated action. The Gita teaches that we cannot avoid action, but we can transform it into a spiritual practice. By performing our duties without attachment to the results, we free ourselves from the cycle of cause and effect.

Key Verses on Action (Karma)

Gita 10.19

The divine (or ultimate reality) is infinitely vast and expresses itself in countless glorious ways; understanding even its most prominent manifestations can inspire profound wisdom and purposeful action.

Gita 10.3

Realizing your intrinsic connection to the eternal, universal consciousness liberates you from all delusion and suffering, granting profound peace and purpose.

Gita 10.32

Recognize the divine essence that underpins all existence from start to finish, prioritize the profound wisdom of self-knowledge, and commit to truth-seeking dialogue in all interactions.

Gita 10.38

The divine manifests as the highest principle of justice, strategic success, profound inner quietude, and ultimate self-knowledge, guiding all effective action and true wisdom.

Gita 10.42

The entire universe, in its boundless diversity, is effortlessly unified and sustained by a mere fraction of the omnipresent divine, inviting a holistic understanding beyond superficial details.

Gita 10.5

All aspects of human nature and experience, good or bad, originate from the Divine; your conscious cultivation of virtues like equanimity, contentment, and ethical conduct shapes your character and destiny.

Gita 10.9

Cultivate wholehearted devotion to a higher purpose and share that wisdom with others to discover profound inner satisfaction and lasting joy.

Gita 11.1

Profound spiritual wisdom, especially the knowledge of the Self, possesses the transformative power to instantly dispel deep-seated delusion and confusion, leading to mental clarity, freedom from suffering, and purposeful action.

Gita 11.28

Embrace the inevitability of life's flow and its outcomes; align your actions with the larger cosmic will, finding peace in your role within the grand design.

Gita 11.29

All life and its pursuits are transient, part of an inevitable cosmic cycle of creation and dissolution. Blindly rushing towards ephemeral desires without wisdom leads to inevitable suffering; cultivate awareness to transcend attachment and embrace life's impermanence with peace.

Gita 11.32

Act as an instrument of divine will, for outcomes are ultimately beyond individual control and part of an inevitable cosmic plan.

Gita 11.33

Rise to action with courage and purpose, performing your duty as an instrument of a higher design, free from the burden of ultimate outcome.

Gita 11.34

Act courageously and decisively in your duties, free from fear and doubt, for the ultimate outcome of your righteous efforts is already divinely orchestrated.

Gita 11.41

Recognize the inherent greatness in all beings, divine or human, and let humility guide your interactions. Familiarity should not diminish reverence; apologize sincerely for unintended disrespect, fostering deeper connection and understanding.

Gita 11.51

Finding solace and regaining composure through familiar, gentle presence is essential for restoring mental clarity, emotional balance, and returning to one's natural state of effective action.

Gita 11.55

Dedicate all actions to the Divine, hold the Supreme as your ultimate goal, release all attachment, and embrace every being with universal love to attain true liberation and peace.

Gita 12.10

Even if deep meditation is challenging, dedicate your daily actions to a higher purpose or divine will; by acting with selfless intent and devotion, you will surely attain ultimate perfection and peace.

Gita 12.11

Even when higher spiritual practices seem unattainable, diligently perform your duties with self-control, detaching from the fruits of your actions; this path of surrender itself is a profound way to achieve inner peace and connect with the Divine.

Gita 12.12

True and lasting peace arises not from the acquisition of knowledge, disciplined practice, or deep meditation alone, but culminates in the profound liberation achieved by detaching from the fruits of your actions.

Gita 12.16

Cultivate inner purity, act with skill and detached expertise, and surrender egoic desires, remaining unperturbed by outcomes, to live a life of profound peace and effective devotion.

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