Bhagavad Gita 12.6 — Offering All Actions to Me with Undivided Devotion
ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः ।
अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥ १२.६ ॥
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But those who offer all their actions to Me, who regard Me as their supreme goal, and who worship Me while meditating on Me with undivided devotion... (the sentence is completed in the next verse). Krishna now describes the devotee's path: not abandoning work, but dedicating every action to the Lord and keeping the Lord as the one aim of life.
Transliteration (IAST)
Word Separation
The Sanskrit verse is separated into individual words (Padched) for easier study.
Word Meanings
| Line 1 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| ye | those who |
| tu | but, however |
| sarvāṇi | all |
| karmāṇi | actions |
| mayi | unto Me, in Me |
| sannyasya | having renounced, having offered up |
| mat-parāḥ | regarding Me as the supreme goal, devoted to Me |
| Line 2 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| ananyena | undivided, exclusive, without any other object |
| eva | indeed |
| yogena | by yoga, by steadfast devotion |
| mām | Me |
| dhyāyantaḥ | meditating |
| upāsate | worship |
| Line 1 | Line 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| ye | those who | ananyena | undivided, exclusive, without any other object |
| tu | but, however | eva | indeed |
| sarvāṇi | all | yogena | by yoga, by steadfast devotion |
| karmāṇi | actions | mām | Me |
| mayi | unto Me, in Me | dhyāyantaḥ | meditating |
| sannyasya | having renounced, having offered up | upāsate | worship |
| mat-parāḥ | regarding Me as the supreme goal, devoted to Me | ||
Detailed Meaning
Introduction
In this verse, Lord Krishna turns to the path of devotion and describes its practice. Those who offer all their actions to Him, regard Him as their supreme goal, and meditate on Him with undivided devotion are the seekers He speaks of. The verse shows that bhakti does not require leaving the world, but transforming every action into an offering.
Essence
All Actions Offered to the Lord
Having shown that the path of the unmanifest is arduous for embodied beings, Lord Krishna now presents the devotional path in its full detail. He begins with the word ye tu—'but those who'—which gently contrasts this group with the preceding one. This is a path that begins where we actually are: with our bodies, relationships, duties, and emotions.
Sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi saṁnyasya (offering all actions to Me): The word saṁnyasya means giving up or laying down. Here it does not mean abandoning action. It means giving up the sense of ownership over action and its results, and placing everything at the feet of the Lord. Cooking, working, studying, and serving all become offerings.
Mat-parāḥ (regarding Me as the supreme goal): For these devotees, the Lord is not a convenient helper for personal ambitions but the highest purpose of life. Their sense of direction is set by Him, and everything else is organized around that centre.
Ananyenaiva yogena (through undivided yoga): Ananya means 'having no other'. The devotee's heart is not divided among many ultimate loyalties. All devotion flows in one direction, which gives the mind its remarkable steadiness.
Māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate (they meditate on Me and worship): Meditation and worship become one continuous inner attitude. The devotee remembers the Lord at every moment of work and rest, not only in formal practice.
Why This Path Is Natural
The mind is not asked to abandon form, emotion, or activity. Instead, it is given a loving object to focus upon. Devotion converts the very faculties that normally bind us—thought, desire, action—into instruments of freedom.
Message for Everyday Life (Turning Work into Worship)
Dissolving the burden of ownership: Much of our stress comes from feeling that everything depends solely on us and that results must conform to our wishes.
Practical approach: Begin each task with a brief inner offering: 'I will do my best, and I offer the work and its outcome to something higher than myself.' Then work wholeheartedly without anxious clinging. This simple attitude transforms ordinary routines into a quiet practice of surrender and brings a lightness that pressure never could.
All Actions Offered to the Lord
Having shown that the path of the unmanifest is arduous for embodied beings, Lord Krishna now presents the devotional path in its full detail. He begins with the word ye tu—'but those who'—which gently contrasts this group with the preceding one. This is a path that begins where we actually are: with our bodies, relationships, duties, and emotions.
Sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi saṁnyasya (offering all actions to Me): The word saṁnyasya means giving up or laying down. Here it does not mean abandoning action. It means giving up the sense of ownership over action and its results, and placing everything at the feet of the Lord. Cooking, working, studying, and serving all become offerings.
Mat-parāḥ (regarding Me as the supreme goal): For these devotees, the Lord is not a convenient helper for personal ambitions but the highest purpose of life. Their sense of direction is set by Him, and everything else is organized around that centre.
Ananyenaiva yogena (through undivided yoga): Ananya means 'having no other'. The devotee's heart is not divided among many ultimate loyalties. All devotion flows in one direction, which gives the mind its remarkable steadiness.
Māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate (they meditate on Me and worship): Meditation and worship become one continuous inner attitude. The devotee remembers the Lord at every moment of work and rest, not only in formal practice.
Why This Path Is Natural
The mind is not asked to abandon form, emotion, or activity. Instead, it is given a loving object to focus upon. Devotion converts the very faculties that normally bind us—thought, desire, action—into instruments of freedom.
Message for Everyday Life (Turning Work into Worship)
Dissolving the burden of ownership: Much of our stress comes from feeling that everything depends solely on us and that results must conform to our wishes.
Practical approach: Begin each task with a brief inner offering: 'I will do my best, and I offer the work and its outcome to something higher than myself.' Then work wholeheartedly without anxious clinging. This simple attitude transforms ordinary routines into a quiet practice of surrender and brings a lightness that pressure never could.
Next Topic
Lord Krishna has described the devotees who offer all actions to Him and meditate on Him with undivided devotion. What does such a devotee receive in return? In the next verse, Lord Krishna makes a deeply reassuring promise about what He Himself will do for them.
Hidden Messages In This Shloka
Reflect on this verse from different perspectives and see which deeper message opens up for you.
Wisdom Nuggets
Work done for something greater than self carries no weight.
Give each task away, and the doer becomes light.
One love, held steadily, is stronger than many scattered desires.
The simplest worship is doing your best with a clean heart.
Action without ownership brings freedom without escape.
Let every action begin and end in remembrance.
Faith and work together make a complete life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi sannyasya' (having offered all actions unto Me) mean?
What does 'mat-parāḥ' (regarding Me as the supreme goal) signify?
What is meant by 'ananyena yogena' (by undivided yoga)?
What is the difference between 'dhyāyantaḥ' (meditating) and 'upāsate' (worship) in this verse?
Why does this verse seem incomplete?
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