Chapter 5 Verse 8-9
Karm Sanyās Yog
नैव किंचित्करोमीति युक्तो मन्येत तत्त्ववित्। पश्यन् श्रृणवन्स्पृशञ्जिघ्रन्नश्नन्गच्छन्स्वपन् श्वसन्।।5.8।। प्रलपन्विसृजन्गृह्णन्नुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि। इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेषु वर्तन्त इति धारयन्।।5.9।।
naiva kiñchit karomīti yukto manyeta tattva-vit paśhyañ śhṛiṇvan spṛiśhañjighrann aśhnangachchhan svapañśhvasan pralapan visṛijan gṛihṇann unmiṣhan nimiṣhann api indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣhu vartanta iti dhārayan pralapan visṛjan gṛhṇann unmiṣan nimiṣann api indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu vartanta iti dhārayan
Word Meanings
| na | not |
| eva | certainly |
| kiñchit | anything |
| karomi | I do |
| iti | thus |
| yuktaḥ | steadfast in karm yog |
| manyeta | thinks |
| tattva-vit | one who knows the truth |
| paśhyan | seeing |
| śhṛiṇvan | hearing |
| spṛiśhan | touching |
| jighran | smelling |
| aśhnan | eating |
| gachchhan | moving |
| svapan | sleeping |
| śhvasan | breathing |
| pralapan | talking |
| visṛijan | giving up |
| gṛihṇan | accepting |
| unmiṣhan | opening (the eyes) |
| nimiṣhan | closing (the eyes) |
| api | although |
| indriyāṇi | the senses |
| indriya-artheṣhu | in sense-objects |
| vartante | moving |
| iti | thus |
| dhārayan | convinced pralapan |
| visṛjan | by giving up |
| gṛhṇan | by accepting |
| unmiṣan | opening |
| nimiṣan | closing |
| api | in spite of |
| indriyāṇi | the senses |
| indriya-artheṣu | in sense gratification |
| vartante | let them be so engaged |
| iti | thus |
| dhārayan | considering. |
Translation
I do nothing at all," thus would the harmonized knower of Truth think, seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, and breathing. Speaking, letting go, seizing, opening, and closing the eyes, one should be convinced that the senses move among the sense-objects.
Philosophical Significance
Core Meaning
The wise person sees the body and senses as instruments that act on their own: seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping, and breathing happen, but the true self is not the doer. Real knowledge is the calm awareness that watches these activities without claiming them as "I did this."
This frees you from ego and attachment. When you realize that the senses move among objects by their nature, you can act without clinging to results and remain steady inside even while living and working.
Life Application
- Practice watching your actions for a few minutes each day: notice breath, speech, and movement as happening, without labeling them as "me" or "mine."
- Do your duties fully but let go of tight ownership of outcomes; focus on effort, not on reward.
- When emotions rise, step back and remind yourself you are the observer, not the automatic reaction.
Reflection Question
When I act today, do I feel like the doer or the witness?