Gita 18.9
Moksha Sanyasa Yoga
कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन | सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव स त्यागः सात्त्विको मतः ||९||
kāryam ity eva yat karma niyataṁ kriyate 'rjuna | saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalaṁ caiva sa tyāgaḥ sāttviko mataḥ ||9||
In essence: When action is performed simply because it ought to be done—prescribed duty executed without attachment or desire for results—that is sattvic tyaga, the true and liberating renunciation.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "'Karyam iti eva'—just because it should be done. Is that enough motivation to act fully?"
Guru: "When you see clearly, yes. The sense that 'this is what ought to be done' becomes as compelling as any desire—more compelling, because it's clean of confusion. Consider: a person helping in an emergency doesn't think 'what will I get?' They act because it's obviously necessary. That clarity, extended to daily life, is sattvic motivation."
Sadhak: "But without attachment to results, won't I be passive?"
Guru: "This is a crucial misunderstanding. Attachment to results creates anxiety, distortion, over-or-under-effort. Non-attachment allows full engagement with the action itself. The archer who is attached to hitting the bullseye may tremble with anxiety. The archer who focuses purely on the shot—stance, breath, release—performs better. Non-attachment enables excellence, not passivity."
Sadhak: "How do I know what 'should be done'—my niyata-karma?"
Guru: "This is where sattvic clarity is essential. In sattva, you see your situation, your capacities, your relationships clearly. What is appropriate emerges naturally. In rajas and tamas, vision is clouded by desire or confusion. Cultivate sattva through the means already given—pure food, good company, self-discipline, study—and niyata-karma becomes apparent."
Sadhak: "Is sattvic tyaga the final goal or a step toward something higher?"
Guru: "Both. As practice, it's the immediate goal—transform tamasic and rajasic patterns into sattvic ones. As permanent attainment, one eventually transcends even sattva—the gunas themselves are transcended in full liberation. But for most practitioners, sattvic tyaga is both the path and the destination. When perfected, the question dissolves—action simply happens as it should."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Set the sattvic intention for the day: 'Today I will perform my duties because they ought to be done, not for what I'll get.' This simple orientation, held consciously, begins transforming the quality of action. Notice how different this feels from 'what's in it for me?'
Catch yourself mid-action: 'Why am I doing this?' If the answer is primarily about outcomes ('so that I'll be praised, paid, comfortable'), notice. Then consciously return to the action itself—'this is what should be done now.' The shift is subtle but powerful.
Review with the three-fold lens: 'What did I avoid from confusion (tamasic)? What did I avoid from difficulty-aversion (rajasic)? What did I do simply because it was right (sattvic)?' Each category teaches. Celebrate the sattvic moments; note where growth is needed. Tomorrow is another opportunity.