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श्री
ह्रीं
क्लीं
गं
ऐं
क्रीं
हूं
सौं
दुं
ॐ तत् सत्
ॐ ऐं ह्रीं क्लीं चामुण्डायै विच्चे
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः

Aligning Consciousness

Ch 3Verse 17
Adhyāya 3 Shloka 17

यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादातमतृप्तश्च मानव: | आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते || १७ ||

yas tv ātma-ratir eva syād ātma-tṛptaś ca mānavaḥ | ātmany eva ca santuṣṭas tasya kāryaṃ na vidyate || 17 ||

"But for one who takes pleasure in the self, whose human life is one of self-realization, and who is satisfied in the self only, fully satiated—for him there is no duty."

Historical Context

The Direct Meaning

Krishna introduces a massive philosophical exception to the rule of mandatory action. He says, 'yas tu' (but, on the other hand), there is a specific type of human being (mānavaḥ). This person takes delight entirely within the Self (ātma-ratiḥ), is fully satiated by the Self (ātma-tṛptaḥ), and is completely content in the Self alone (ātmany eva ca santuṣṭaḥ). For this extremely rare individual, Krishna declares: 'tasya kāryaṃ na vidyate' (for him, there is no prescribed duty).

Translated from the original Sanskrit text

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