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ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः। लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा।।5.10।।

brahmaṇyādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ lipyate na sa pāpena padma-patram ivāmbhasā

Sanskrit Chant Recitation
Chapter 5, Verse 10
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Scripture Translation Room

Sanskrit to English Translation

Translator:
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.

A Reading - Rantideb

Why: one who acts, offering all actions to Brahman, abandoning attachment, is untouched by sin, as a lotus leaf is untouched by water, using one of the Gita's most enduring images for unattached engagement.

In life: the lotus leaf image is useful precisely because it's not about avoiding the water, the leaf sits directly in it and still doesn't get soaked.

Teaching: aim to be fully present in situations that could otherwise stain your peace of mind, rather than avoiding them, the goal is staying clean while present, not staying away.

brahmaṇito God
ādhāyadedicating
karmāṇiall actions
saṅgamattachment
tyaktvāabandoning
karotiperforms
yaḥwho
lipyateis affected
nanever
saḥthat person
pāpenaby sin
padma-patrama lotus leaf
ivalike
ambhasāby water

Deep Classical Commentary (Bhashya)

Author:
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)