10 Bhagavad Gita Quotes By Lord Krishna on Life and Success

The Bhagavad Gita, nestled within the epic Mahabharata, is much more than just a scripture. It’s a vibrant tapestry woven with profound wisdom, echoing across generations and resonating with hearts seeking truth and meaning. Its verses, spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, offer not just divine wisdom for navigating life’s challenges, but also practical guidance for achieving inner peace and fulfillment.

Here, we dive into 10 of the Bhagavad Gita’s most inspirational quotes, gems that continue to illuminate our paths even millennia after their utterance:

1. “Karmanye vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana, Mama Karma Phala Hetur Bhuru Ma Te Sangostva Akarmani.” (Chapter 2, Verse 47)

English: “Perform your duty, but do not be attached to the results. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be inactive.”

This cornerstone verse of the Gita emphasizes selfless action. Our focus should be on fulfilling our responsibilities without clinging to the fruits of our labor. The true reward lies in the act itself, in offering it as a dedication to a higher purpose.

2. “Chittaanaam yaataatmani manasaa samprajaaate Bhaavaha, Tasya dhyaanaayoganyogasthi yajnaan cha api tadvataah.” (Chapter 6, Verse 26)

English: “When the mind, controlled by the intellect, becomes absorbed in the Self, then it is said to be in yoga. In that state, one is said to be in communion with the Self, beyond even ritual sacrifices.”

This quote highlights the importance of mental control. Through discipline and introspection, we can quiet the mind’s chatter and connect with our inner essence, achieving true yoga and transcending external rituals.

3. “Na karmatmaar tyagaagi na cha karmaani kurute Na cha sanyasta na cha karmi tvam kim chid bhavasi.” (Chapter 3, Verse 24)

English: “You are neither the doer of actions nor the non-doer of actions. You are neither inactive nor attached to action. So, who are you?”

This powerful verse challenges our limited sense of self. We are not merely our actions, nor are we passive observers. We are the eternal consciousness, the witness to the dance of life, eternally free and unchanging.

4. “Uddharet atmanaatmanaam naatmaanam avasedayet Atmaiva hyaatmano bandhur atmaiva ripu atmanaah.” (Chapter 6, Verse 5)

English: “Lift yourself by your own efforts; do not degrade yourself. You are indeed your own friend and your own enemy.”

This verse emphasizes self-reliance and introspection. Our liberation lies within us, not in external forces. We must take responsibility for our actions and thoughts, for they become the chains that bind or uplift us.

5. “Krodhaha kamah lobhaasha trividhaa narakasyadaah Dhyo yatra nityam yaataatma tasyataah sarvaaapi paapahaa.” (Chapter 16, Verse 21)

English: “Lust, anger, and greed are the three gates to hell. When a person conquers these, they have conquered all sins.”

These three afflictions are the root cause of our suffering. By mastering them through self-awareness and discipline, we step onto the path of liberation and shed the burden of negativity.

6. “Gyanen nivritta-kalmashah kasyaidham paatakam janan, Ya idam dhyaayana-vishyam anityaani tyakta-sarvaani cha abhichitaani cha. Sa antavanta imam lokam na punar avartate ‘yatha.” (Chapter 13, Verse 35)

English: “For one whose impurity is destroyed by knowledge, for whom birth and death are one, who has renounced all desires and is without attachments, how can there be any sinfulness? Such a person, knowing this as the object of meditation, transcends all transient things and is not reborn in this ephemeral world.”

True wisdom removes the darkness of ignorance and liberates us from the cycle of birth and death. By letting go of attachments and desires, we find lasting peace and transcend the limitations of the material world.

7. “Ya sarvaani bhutani samhatasvaatmani pashyati Tasya sarvaani bhutani na vinashyanti.” (Chapter 6, Verse 29)

English: “He who sees all beings dwelling in the Self and the Self dwelling in all beings, loses fear and sorrow forever.”

This verse highlights the profound concept of oneness. When we recognize the divine spark within every living being, including ourselves, the walls of separation dissolve. In this unified vision, fear and sorrow, rooted in our sense of isolation, lose their grip.

8. “Na me dveshyah asti na priyo naanyatraatma me jitah atmaiva me suhrt bandhur na tasya kimchana na me.” (Chapter 12, Verse 13)

English: “Neither friend nor foe have I, nor is there one who is equal to me; the Self has conquered the self, for me there is nothing that is not the Self.”

This verse transcends ego and duality. True self-realization dissolves the illusion of “us” and “them,” revealing the underlying unity of all existence. Once the self has conquered its limitations, it finds perfect inner peace, unattached to desires or relationships.

9. “Sarvadhaanani manasaa khyaaya sa mam yogyaya yaataah, Aham bhavami tasya sakhaa sa mama bhavati sa me.” (Chapter 6, Verse 47)

English: “He who in all ways, with all his mind, renounces all actions, thinking, “I am doing nothing,” he, united with the Divine, attains the Yoga of the Absolute. I become his friend and he becomes my friend.”

This verse emphasizes the practice of selfless action, where detachment from the fruits of our labor becomes the path to union with the divine. When we act without ego or ulterior motives, we enter a state of effortless flow, guided by a higher purpose.

10. “Na hi kshitranna gatishtasya tasya sarvagatah prabhu, Na cha samsara-basham api tasyediyatha yathiraha.” (Chapter 15, Verse 5)

English: “For that eternal Self there is neither birth nor death, nor going nor coming; nor is there any abiding for it in any one state; omnipresent, self-luminous, it transcends all things.”

This final verse concludes with a breathtaking glimpse of liberation. The realized soul breaks free from the cycle of birth and death, untouched by the limitations of time and space. They become one with the infinite ocean of consciousness, radiating peace and wisdom in every direction.

These are just a few of the countless pearls of wisdom scattered throughout the Bhagavad Gita. Each verse has the potential to spark a transformation within us, guiding us towards a life of joy, purpose, and inner peace. Let its wisdom become your guiding light, illuminating the path towards your own unique version of fulfillment.