🕉️Sanskrit Subhashit

In this verse, Saint Dnyaneshwar emphasizes that one should not abandon their duties. He suggests that any action which is morally right and comes to a person naturally through circumstances should be performed with conviction. True renunciation is not the abandonment of action itself, but the abandonment of the ego and the desire for results while performing the action.

In daily life, if a task is assigned to you as your responsibility (like a student's duty to study), instead of procrastinating or doubting its importance, one should complete it with full dedication as a form of service.

Saint Dnyaneshwar explains the necessity of performing one's natural and situational duties as a path to spiritual growth.

In this verse, Dnyaneshwar Maharaj elaborates on the state of 'Brahma-Nirvana'. He emphasizes that liberation is not a distant goal but a present reality for those who have eradicated desire and anger. By 'conquering oneself', he refers to the disciplined mind that no longer wanders towards sensory pleasures. Such a person, being perpetually established in the awareness of the Self, experiences the infinite peace of the Divine everywhere, transcending the limitations of the physical body.

Apply this by practicing emotional regulation. For example, when faced with a provocative situation at work or home, instead of reacting with anger, take a moment to observe your mind and choose a calm response. This is the practical step toward 'conquering oneself'.

Saint Dnyaneshwar describes the characteristics and the ultimate state of a person who has attained mastery over their internal impulses.

In this verse, Saint Dnyaneshwar uses a beautiful analogy of a painting to describe the state of a liberated soul. Just as figures in a painting may be depicted in various poses of action (like running or fighting), they do not actually possess any movement or the ego of performing those actions. Similarly, a person established in self-knowledge performs all necessary worldly duties through their physical body and senses, yet remains internally detached. They do not harbor the illusion of 'I am the doer' (Kartrutva Bhava), and thus, their actions do not create any karmic bondage.

In professional life, perform your duties with excellence but without getting attached to the 'credit' or 'ego' of the work. For example, a doctor treats a patient as a duty, without letting the success inflate their ego, knowing they are just an instrument.

Saint Dnyaneshwar explains how a realized soul performs actions without being bound by the ego of doership.