Gita 18.10
Moksha Sanyasa Yoga
न द्वेष्ट्यकुशलं कर्म कुशले नानुषज्जते | त्यागी सत्त्वसमाविष्टो मेधावी छिन्नसंशयः ||१०||
na dveṣṭy akuśalaṁ karma kuśale nānuṣajjate | tyāgī sattva-samāviṣṭo medhāvī chinna-saṁśayaḥ ||10||
In essence: The true renouncer, established in sattva with doubts destroyed, neither hates unpleasant duty nor clings to pleasant work—equanimity in action is the mark of wisdom.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Not hating unpleasant duty—how is that possible? Unpleasant means it bothers me."
Guru: "The unpleasant quality is in the action; hatred is your addition. Washing dishes may be tedious, but the hatred ('I hate doing this') is a second layer of suffering. The sattvic tyagi experiences tedium but doesn't compound it with resentment. The action is acknowledged as unpleasant; the emotional reaction is released. Surprisingly, when hatred is absent, even unpleasant work becomes more bearable."
Sadhak: "What about pleasant work—surely some attachment is natural?"
Guru: "Appreciation is natural; clinging is added. You can enjoy pleasant work fully while it's happening without grasping to hold onto it or claiming it as 'my' success. The sattvic tyagi is present to the pleasant, experiences it completely, and when it ends, releases cleanly. Attachment wants to prolong, possess, repeat. Non-attachment allows full experience without the grip."
Sadhak: "'Chinna-samshaya'—doubts destroyed. What doubts?"
Guru: "The fundamental doubts that generate suffering: 'Am I the doer?' 'Do my actions determine my worth?' 'What if I fail?' 'What will I get?' When these doubts are destroyed through understanding, one acts freely. The sattvic tyagi knows: 'I am not the ultimate doer; action flows through me. Results belong to the cosmic order, not to me. Success and failure are relative; my essential nature is unchanged.' Such clarity destroys anxiety."
Sadhak: "'Medhavi'—intelligence—why is this mentioned?"
Guru: "Because true tyaga is not dull indifference but bright understanding. Medha is practical wisdom, the capacity to discern correctly. The sattvic tyagi is not someone who has given up thinking but someone who thinks clearly. Intelligence sees through the illusion of gain and loss, sees that clinging and aversion produce suffering, sees what ought to be done. Tyaga without intelligence becomes tamasic; intelligence enables sattvic renunciation."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Anticipate today's unpleasant duties. Name them. Now examine: 'What hatred do I carry toward these?' Consciously intend to do them without hatred—not enjoying the unpleasant, but not adding resentment. This intention, held through the day, transforms the experience.
Notice responses to pleasant and unpleasant as they arise. When unpleasant: is there hatred, resistance, 'why me?' When pleasant: is there grasping, 'more of this,' claiming credit? Simply notice. The even response of the sattvic tyagi is developed through repeated observation and gradual release of extremes.
Review: 'Where did I hate unpleasant action today? Where did I cling to pleasant action?' Both are natural but both add suffering. Seeing them clearly is itself progress. Celebrate any moments of even-handed engagement. Tomorrow, the practice continues.