Verse 18.45
स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः ।
स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु ॥
Transliteration
sve sve karmaṇyabhirataḥ saṃsiddhiṃ labhate naraḥ |
svakarmanirataḥ siddhiṃ yathā vindati tacchṛṇu ||
By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · @indic-transliteration/sanscript 1.3.3
Translation
Each man devoted to his own duty attains perfection. How he attains perfection while being engaged in his own duty, hear now.
From the owner's sheet · +1 more
Each person, devoted to his own work, attains perfection. Hear how one who is intent on his own work finds that perfection.
By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08 · +1 more
Word by word
By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08
Explanation
Krishna states the principle behind the social discussion: each person attains perfection (saṃsiddhi) by being devoted to his own work. He then promises to explain how this happens. The verse is a strong affirmation of ordinary duty. Perfection does not require leaving one's place in life for some special religious calling. It can be reached through faithful, wholehearted engagement in the work that suits one's nature.
By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08