Skip to content
Wellsprings
hindu-liberationfeatured in 2 works

The Path of Action (Karma-Yoga)

Act fully, but let go of the fruits — and action stops binding you.

Karma-yoga is the path of action done in the right spirit: doing one's duty fully but surrendering all attachment to the rewards. The Bhagavad-gītā's central teaching to Arjuna is that one cannot escape action, but one can act without selfish craving for its fruits — and such action purifies the heart rather than binding it. It is the Gītā's answer to the choice between worldly life and renunciation.

How it traveled

  1. Bhagavad-gītā
    Kuru-Pañcāla region · -150
    explains
  2. Gītārtha-saṃgraha
    Śrīraṅgam · 980
    explains

Key passages(16)

Bhagavad-gītā · Vyāsa (Yoga-bhāṣya commentator)

Very high

Bhagavad-gītā · Vyāsa (Yoga-bhāṣya commentator)

Very high

Gītārtha-saṃgraha · Yāmunācārya (Ālavandār)

Very high

Upadeśasāhasrī · Ādi Śaṅkara

High

Aṣṭāvakra-gītā · Aṣṭāvakra

High

Gītārtha-saṃgraha · Yāmunācārya (Ālavandār)

High

Upadeśasāhasrī · Ādi Śaṅkara

High

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad · Vedic Revelation (śruti)

High

Vivekacūḍāmaṇi · Śaṅkara (traditionally ascribed; authorship doubted)

High

Īśā Upaniṣad · Vedic Revelation (śruti)

High

Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad · Vedic Revelation (śruti)

Moderate

Haṭhayoga-pradīpikā · Svātmārāma

Moderate

Chāndogya Upaniṣad · Vedic Revelation (śruti)

Moderate

Kaṭha Upaniṣad · Vedic Revelation (śruti)

Moderate

Śiva-stotrāvalī · Utpaladeva

Moderate

Śiva-stotrāvalī · Utpaladeva

Moderate