In Bhagavad Gita 18.12, Krishna says the fruit of action, unpleasant, pleasant or mixed, accrues after death to those who have not relinquished, but never to those who have renounced.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च
त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम्
भवत्यत्यागिनां प्रेत्य
न तु संन्यासिनां क्वचित् ॥ १८-१२ ॥
aniṣṭamiṣṭaṃ miśraṃ ca
trividhaṃ karmaṇaḥ phalam
bhavatyatyāgināṃ pretya
na tu saṃnyāsināṃ kvacit
English transliteration anishtamishtam mishram cha
trividham karmanah phalam
bhavatyatyaaginaam pretya
na tu samnyaasinaam kvachit ॥ 18.12 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Unpleasant, pleasant and mixed: the threefold fruit of action accrues after death to those who have not relinquished, but never to those who have renounced.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| अनिष्टम् aniṣṭam | unpleasant |
| इष्टम् iṣṭam | pleasant |
| मिश्रम् miśram | mixed |
| च ca | and |
| त्रिविधम् trividham | threefold |
| कर्मणः karmaṇaḥ | of action |
| फलम् phalam | fruit |
| भवति bhavati | accrues |
| अत्यागिनाम् atyāginām | to those who have not relinquished |
| प्रेत्य pretya | after death |
| न na | not |
| तु tu | but |
| संन्यासिनाम् saṃnyāsinām | to those who have renounced |
| क्वचित् kvacit | ever |
Word-wise Chanting
- a–niṣ–ṭa–miṣ–ṭaṃ miś–raṃ ca 8 syllables a-nish-ta-mish-tam mish-ram cha
- tri–vi–dhaṃ kar–ma–ṇaḥ pha–lam | 8 syllables tri-vi-dham kar-ma-nah pha-lam
- bha–vat–yat–yā–gi–nāṃ pret–ya 8 syllables bha-vat-yat-yaa-gi-naam pret-ya
- na tu saṃn–yā–si–nāṃ kva–cit || 18-12 8 syllables na tu samn-yaa-si-naam kva-chit
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 18 Verse 12
Context
Krishna describes the true relinquisher (18.10–18.12).
Meaning
Every action produces fruit: aniṣṭa, unpleasant; iṣṭa, pleasant; or miśra, mixed. Those who are attached reap these fruits in future lives. Those who have truly renounced attachment are not bound by any of them.
Inner relinquishment frees us from the endless chain of karmic consequences.
In Practice
Offer the fruits of your actions to the Divine today, freeing yourself from their weight.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 18: Moksha Sannyasa Yoga (Liberation and Renunciation). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.