Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Verse 41 भगवद् गीता अध्याय 4 श्लोक 41 योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसंछिन्नसंशयम्। आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय।।4.41।। English Translation - Swami Gambirananda 4.41 O Dhananjaya (Arjuna), actions do not bind one who has renounced actions through yoga, whose doubt has been fully dispelled by Knowledge, and who is not inadvertent. English Translation - Swami Sivananda 4.41 He who has renounced actions by Yoga, whose doubts are rent asunder by knowledge, and who is self-possessed actions do not bind him, O Arjuna. English Translation - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan 4.41. O Dhananjaya ! Actions do not bind him who has renounced [all] actions through Yoga; who has cut off his doubts by the sword of knowledge; and who is a master of his own self. English Commentary - Swami Sivananda 4.41 योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणम् one who has renounced actions by Yoga? ज्ञानसंछिन्नसंशयम् one whose doubts are rent asunder by knowledge? आत्मवन्तम् possessing the self? न not? कर्माणि actions? निबध्नन्ति bind? धनञ्जय O Dhananjaya.Commentary Sri Madhusudana Sarasvati explains Atmavantam as always watchful.He who has attained to Selfrealisation renounces all actions by means of Yoga or the knowledge of Brahman. As he is established in the knowledge of the identity of the individual soul with the,Supreme Soul? all his doubts are cut asunder. Actions do not bind him as they are burnt in the fire of wisdom and as he is always watchful over himself. (Cf.II.48III.9IV.20) English Translation of Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya's 4.41 Yoga-sannyasta-karmanam, one who has renounced actions through yoga: that person who is a knower of the supreme Goal, by whom actions called righteous or unrighteous have been renounced through the yoga characterized as the Knowledge of the supreme Goal. How does one become detached from actions through yoga? The Lord says: He is jnana-samchinna-samsayah, one whose doubts (samsaya) have been fully dispelled (samchinna) by Knowledge (jnana) characterized as the realization of the identity of the individual Self and God. O Dhananjaya, he who has thus renounced actions through yoga, atmavantam, who is not inadvertent, not careless; him, karmani, actions, seen as the activities of the gunas (see 3.28); na nibadhnanti, do not bind, (i.e.) they do not produce a result in the form of evil etc. Since one whose doubts have been destroyed by Knowledge-arising from the destruction of the impurities (of body, mind, etc.) as result of the practise of Karma-yoga-does not get bound by acitons owing to the mere fact of his actions having been burnt away by Knowledge; and since one who has doubts with regard to the practice of the yogas of Knowledge and actions gets ruined- English Translation of Commentary - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan 4.41 Yoga-etc. Renunciation of actions becomes possible only through Yoga and not otherwise. This has been discussed also [in the seel]. English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary 4.41 The countless ancient Karmas which constitute the cause of bondage, do not bind him who has renounced actions through Karma Yoga in the manner explained before, who has sundered all doubts concerning the self by the knowledge of the self in the manner explained before, and who is of steady mind, i.e., unshakable, with the mind focussed steadily on the meaning that has been forth. Commentary - Chakravarthi Ji In such a state, a person will reach a state of no karma (naiskarmyam). Having renounced all karma through niskama karma yoga, and having eradicated all doubts through practice of jnana, actions do not bind that person, who has attained realization of the soul. Rudra Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary The dual method of realising the Brahman or the spiritual substratum pervading all existence has been taught with karma yoga or the performance as prescribed Vedic activities as the beginning stage and jnana yoga or the cultivation of Vedic knowledge as the intermediate stage in the last two chapters, is being concluded with this verse. One who has offered all actions to the Supreme Lord has renounced actions. This yoga or the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness is performed continuously. Therefore all doubts in regard to ego-consciousness have been destroyed by the fire of knowledge knowing that one is not the physical body. One is consciousness and self alert and is not bound by actions whether they are naturally done for oneself or for others. Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary There is no commentary for this verse. Shri Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary Lord Krishna explains that the performance of karma yoga or prescribed Vedic activities is the mode of action in the ways He indicated above. Dedication and renunciation means that actions are performed in jnana yoga or the cultivation of Vedic knowledge. When performed in this way the binding power of actions becomes neutralised. Also by this method any doubts concerning the atma or soul are dispelled by knowledge of the atma. The compound word atma-vantam means one who is self-satisfied. One whose mind is unassailable and unapproachable by any type of doubt. Such a person has achieved an unshakeable certitude about the reality and eternality of the soul from the teachings received from the spiritual master. No actions performed for oneself or for others in the present or the future can ever bind such a person. Kumara Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary Lord Krishna explains that the performance of karma yoga or prescribed Vedic activities is the mode of action in the ways He indicated above. Dedication and renunciation means that actions are performed in jnana yoga or the cultivation of Vedic knowledge. When performed in this way the binding power of actions becomes neutralised. Also by this method any doubts concerning the atma or soul are dispelled by knowledge of the atma. The compound word atma-vantam means one who is self-satisfied. One whose mind is unassailable and unapproachable by any type of doubt. Such a person has achieved an unshakeable certitude about the reality and eternality of the soul from the teachings received from the spiritual master. No actions performed for oneself or for others in the present or the future can ever bind such a person. Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 4.41Yogasannyasta karmaanam jnaanasamcchinnasamshayam; Aatmavantam na karmaani nibadhnanti dhananjaya. Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 4.41yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇam—those who renounce ritualistic karm, dedicating their body, mind, and soul to God; jñāna—by knowledge; sañchhinna—dispelled; sanśhayam—doubts; ātma-vantam—situated in knowledge of the self; na—not; karmāṇi—actions; nibadhnanti—bind; dhanañjaya—Arjun, the conqueror of wealth