In Bhagavad Gita 18.26, Krishna says the agent free from attachment and ego, full of determination and enthusiasm, unchanged in success and failure, is sattvic.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी
धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकारः
कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ॥ १८-२६ ॥
muktasaṅgo’nahaṃvādī
dhṛtyutsāhasamanvitaḥ
siddhyasiddhyornirvikāraḥ
kartā sāttvika ucyate
English transliteration muktasango’nahamvaadee
dhrityutsaahasamanvitah
siddhyasiddhyornirvikaarah
kartaa saattvika uchyate ॥ 18.26 ॥
Translation / Meaning
An agent who is free from attachment, not egoistic, endowed with steadiness and enthusiasm, and unaffected by success and failure, is said to be sattvic.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| मुक्तसङ्गः muktasaṅgaḥ | free from attachment mukta (free) + saṅgaḥ (attachment) |
| अनहंवादी anahaṃvādī | not egoistic an (not) + aham (I) + vādī (speaking) |
| धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः dhṛtyutsāhasamanvitaḥ | endowed with steadiness and enthusiasm dhṛti (steadiness) + utsāha (enthusiasm) + samanvitaḥ (endowed) |
| सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः siddhyasiddhyoḥ | in success and failure siddhi (success) + asiddhyoḥ (failure) |
| निर्विकारः nirvikāraḥ | unaffected |
| कर्ता kartā | agent |
| सात्त्विकः sāttvikaḥ | sattvic |
| उच्यते ucyate | is said |
Word-wise Chanting
- muk–ta–saṅ–go–‘na–haṃ–vā–dī 8 syllables muk-ta-san-go-‘na-ham-vaa-dee
- dhṛt–yut–sā–ha–sa–man–vi–taḥ | 8 syllables dhrit-yut-saa-ha-sa-man-vi-tah
- sid–dhya–sid–dhyor–nir–vi–kā–raḥ 8 syllables sid-dhya-sid-dhyor-nir-vi-kaa-rah
- kar–tā sāt–tvi–ka uc–ya–te || 18-26 8 syllables kar-taa saat-tvi-ka uch-ya-te
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 26
Context
Krishna describes the three kinds of agent (18.26–18.28).
Meaning
The sāttvika kartā is free from attachment and does not boast of “I”. They combine dhṛti, steadiness, with utsāha, enthusiasm. In siddhi and asiddhi, success and failure, they remain nirvikāra, unchanged.
Note that the sattvic person is not passive: they are full of enthusiasm. Detachment and zeal go together.
In Practice
Work today with enthusiasm and steadiness, without boasting and without being shaken by results.
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.