स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः। स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु॥
sve sve karmaṇyabhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ । svakarmanirataḥ siddhiṁ yathā vindati tacchṛṇu ॥
Meaning of Sve Sve Karmaṇyabhirataḥ Saṁsiddhiṁ
Those who remain devoted to their respective duties attain the highest perfection. Therefore, those who diligently perform their duties should learn how the highest state of perfection can be attained through dedicated and sincere action.
Word by word
- स्वे स्वेsve sve
in each one's own
स्व
- कर्मणिkarmaṇi
work or duty
कर्मन्
- अभिरतःabhirataḥ
devoted or engaged
अभि + √रम्
- संसिद्धिम्saṁsiddhim
complete perfection
सम् + √सिध्
- लभतेlabhate
attains
√लभ्
- नरःnaraḥ
a person
नर
- स्वकर्मनिरतःsvakarmanirataḥ
devoted to one's own work
स्व + कर्मन् + नि + √रम्
- सिद्धिम्siddhim
perfection
√सिध्
- यथाyathā
how
- विन्दतिvindati
finds or attains
√विद्
- तत् शृणुtacchṛṇu
hear that
तद् + √श्रु
Commentary
The verse says that a person devoted to their own work attains saṁsiddhi, complete accomplishment or perfection. The repeated sve sve stresses that duties differ, while svakarma directs attention to the work that belongs to each person. Abhirataḥ and nirataḥ both describe steady engagement, so attainment is linked to sustained attention rather than a passing effort. The closing words, tacchṛṇu, prepare the listener to hear how such dedication leads to siddhi. Its practical lesson is to understand one's responsibility and give oneself fully to it.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Bhagavad Gita
View source pageनित्यं परिचरेच्चैव तद्वै सुकृतमुत्तमम्। कीर्तिं पुण्यं यशो लोकान् प्राप्स्यसे राजसत्तम॥
nityaṃ paricareccaiva tadvai sukṛtamuttamam । kīrtiṃ puṇyaṃ yaśo lokān prāpsyase rājasattama ॥
Daily service is praised as an excellent deed that brings merit, renown and higher realms.
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च। निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी॥
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca । nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ॥
The Bhagavad Gita describes a character free from hatred and ego, friendly to all beings and steady in joy and sorrow.
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्। स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते॥
anudvegakaraṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priyahitaṁ ca yat । svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva vāṅmayaṁ tapa ucyate ॥
The Bhagavad Gita describes truthful, pleasant, beneficial, and non-agitating words, together with regular study, as austerity of speech.
More subhashitams on Karma
View topic pageनित्यं परिचरेच्चैव तद्वै सुकृतमुत्तमम्। कीर्तिं पुण्यं यशो लोकान् प्राप्स्यसे राजसत्तम॥
nityaṃ paricareccaiva tadvai sukṛtamuttamam । kīrtiṃ puṇyaṃ yaśo lokān prāpsyase rājasattama ॥
Daily service is praised as an excellent deed that brings merit, renown and higher realms.
यथा यथा प्रयत्नः स्याद्भवेदाशु फलं तथा। इति पौरुषमेवास्ति दैवमस्तु तदेव च॥
yathā yathā prayatnaḥ syād bhaved āśu phalaṃ tathā । iti pauruṣam evāsti daivam astu tad eva ca ॥
A Yoga Vasistha verse that links the fruit of an undertaking to human effort and identifies such effort with what people call destiny.
यस्य कृत्यं न जानन्ति मन्त्रं वा मन्त्रितं परे। कृतमेवास्य जानन्ति स वै पण्डित उच्यते॥
yasya kṛtyaṃ na jānanti mantraṃ vā mantritaṃ pare । kṛtam evāsya jānanti sa vai paṇḍita ucyate ॥
A Mahabharata verse calls one wise whose deliberations remain unknown to others until the intended work has been accomplished.