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मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः।सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते।।18.26।।

mukta-saṅgo ‘nahaṁ-vādī dhṛity-utsāha-samanvitaḥ siddhy-asiddhyor nirvikāraḥ kartā sāttvika uchyate

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 18, Verse 26
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
An agent who is free from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with firmness and enthusiasm, and unaffected by success or failure, is considered to be of a Sattvic (pure) nature.

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: the agent who is free from attachment, non-egotistic, endowed with firmness and enthusiasm, unaffected by success or failure, is said to be of the nature of goodness, describing the clearest kind of person doing the acting, defined by steadiness through both success and failure equally.

In life: someone genuinely operating from this clearest quality maintains roughly the same steady enthusiasm and effort whether a project is currently succeeding or struggling, rather than swinging wildly between confidence and despair based on how things are currently going.

Teaching: notice how much your own enthusiasm and effort swings based on whether your current undertaking is succeeding or struggling, and work toward the steadier version this verse describes, roughly consistent engagement regardless of the current trajectory.

mukta-saṅgaḥfree from worldly attachment
anaham-vādīfree from ego
dhṛitistrong resolve
utsāhazeal
samanvitaḥendowed with
siddhi-asiddhyoḥin success and failure
nirvikāraḥunaffected
kartāworker
sāttvikaḥin the mode of goodness
uchyateis said to be

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
18.26 मुक्तसङ्गः who is free from attachment? अनहंवादी nonegoistic? धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः endowed with firmness and enthusiasm? सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः in success or failure? निर्विकारः unaffected? कर्ता an agent? सात्त्विकः Sattvic (pure)? उच्यते is called.Commentary A pure agent does his actions with his whole heart without feeling proud at the performance. He looks for the proper time and place and in accordance with the behests of the scriptures determines whether such actions are worth doing or not. He develops courage and a powerful will. He never seeks physical comforts. He is ite prepared to sacrifice his life for a noble cause. He is neither elated by success nor grieved by failure. He always keeps a balanced mind when he does any action. O Arjuna? that man is a pure agent who? while working? exhibits such alities.Siddhi Success attainment of the fruit of action performed.Nirvikarah Unaffected as having been urged to act merely by the authority of the scriptures? not by a desire for the sake of the reward.Now I will tell thee? O Arjuna? of the characteristics of a passionate agent.