Bhagavad Gita 11.55 — Mat-karma-krin Mat-paramo
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ११.५५ — मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो
Also known as: mat karma krin mat paramo · nirvairah sarva bhuteshu · bhagavad gita 11.55 · gita 11 55 · essence of the gita verse · sa mam eti pandava
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✦ Meaning
This is the final and culminating verse of the eleventh chapter, in which Krishna distils the path to Him into a single shloka. The devotee who works for the Lord, holds Him as the supreme goal, loves Him, remains unattached, and bears no enmity toward any creature attains Him. Sri Shankaracharya called this verse the very essence of the entire Bhagavad Gita, summarising its whole teaching of selfless action, devotion and universal goodwill.
Origin & Story
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, Verse 55 · Sage Veda Vyasa (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva) · Ancient (text compiled c. 5th–2nd century BCE)
This is the concluding verse of the eleventh chapter, Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga. After revealing and then withdrawing His universal form and reassuring the shaken Arjuna, Krishna sums up the means of attaining Him in one verse. Commentators, foremost among them Adi Shankaracharya, regard it as the crystallised essence of the entire Gita.
✦ As told in scripture
Sri Shankaracharya taught that one who truly lives this single verse has grasped the whole of the Gita, and that such a devotee — working for the Lord, loving Him, detached and friendly to all — is assured of reaching Him beyond all doubt.
The Mantra
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मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो मद्भक्तः सङ्गवर्जितः। निर्वैरः सर्वभूतेषु यः स मामेति पाण्डव॥
mat-karma-kṛin mat-paramo mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣhu yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava
Meaning:He who works for My sake, who looks on Me as the Supreme goal, who is devoted to Me, free from attachment, and without enmity towards any being — he comes to Me, O Arjuna.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Bhagavad Gita 11.55 — Mat-karma-krin Mat-paramo
Considered by Shankaracharya the essence of the whole Bhagavad Gita
Gives a complete, practical formula for reaching the Lord in one verse
Unites selfless action (karma), devotion (bhakti) and detachment in a single path
Encourages universal friendliness and freedom from enmity toward all beings
Assures the sincere devotee of attaining the Supreme
A powerful verse for daily contemplation and resolve in spiritual life
How to Chant Bhagavad Gita 11.55 — Mat-karma-krin Mat-paramo
Chant this verse as a daily resolve, since it sums up the entire path of the Gita. As you recite, reflect on its five marks of a true devotee: doing work for the Lord, holding Him as the highest goal, loving Him, remaining detached, and harbouring no enmity toward any being. Let it guide your conduct through the day, turning ordinary actions into offerings to the Divine.
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