शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः। संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि।।9.28।।
śubhāśubha‑phalaiḥ evam mokṣyase karma‑bandhanaiḥ. sannyāsayogayuktātmā vimukto mām upaiṣyasi.
Translation
By dedicating all your works to Me, you will be freed from the bondage of good and bad results. With your mind attached to Me through renunciation, you will be liberated and will reach Me.
Word Meanings
śubha — from auspicious; aśubha — and inauspicious; phalaiḥ — results; evam — thus; mokṣyase — you will become free; karma — of work; bandhanaiḥ — from the bondage; sannyāsa — of renunciation; yoga — the yoga; yukta‑ātmā — having the mind firmly set on; vimuktaḥ — liberated; mām — to Me; upaiṣyasi — you will attain
Understanding the Verse
In this verse, Krishna emphasizes the transformative power of devoted action combined with surrender. The phrase śubhāśubha‑phalaiḥ evam reminds the seeker that the results of actions, whether deemed auspicious or inauspicious, are merely external manifestations. When a person performs work without attachment to these outcomes, the duality of success and failure no longer binds the soul. This principle aligns with the broader Gita teaching of nishkama karma—action without desire for personal gain.
The next segment, mokṣyase karma‑bandhanaiḥ, conveys that such selfless service becomes a means of liberation. The "bondage of work" is not only the literal obligations of daily life but also the subtle mental chains that attach us to the fruits of our deeds. By offering all actions to the Divine, the practitioner loosens these ties, gradually stepping out of the samsaric cycle of cause and effect.
Krishna then introduces the concept of sannyāsayogayuktātmā, a soul that is simultaneously engaged in renunciation (sannyasa) and yoga (union with the Divine). This paradoxical state illustrates that true renunciation does not imply passive withdrawal from the world; rather, it signifies a mental disposition where all activities are performed as an expression of divine will. The practitioner becomes a conduit, allowing the Divine to act through them while remaining untouched by personal ego.
The culmination, vimukto mām upaiṣyasi, promises that the liberated soul who has merged renunciation with devotional yoga will "reach Me." Here, “reach” is not a distant, future goal but an immediate, lived reality of being in perpetual communion with the Supreme. The term vimukta denotes a state beyond all dualities, where the soul rests in the blissful awareness of its true nature as an aspect of the Divine.
Practically, this verse guides seekers to reframe their relationship with work and outcomes. Instead of seeing duties as burdens or opportunities for personal glory, they are invited to view them as offerings that purify the mind. The mental shift from ownership to surrender gradually erodes the ego‑centric identity, allowing the individual to experience the boundless freedom that Krishna promises. In contemporary life, where success is often measured by external accolades, this teaching offers a timeless antidote: inner liberation through selfless dedication and unwavering devotion.
Thus, Chapter 9, Verse 28 serves as a concise yet profound roadmap: perform all actions as worship, remain unattached to results, and maintain a heart fixed on the Divine. In doing so, one transcends the imprisoning cycles of karma and attains the ultimate union with the Supreme.
