3-17 to 3-19

यस्तु आत्म रतिरेव स्यात् आत्म तृप्तश्च मानवः ।
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टः तस्य कार्यम् न विद्यते ॥ १७ ॥
नैव तस्य कृतेनार्थो नाकृतेन इह कश्चन ।
न चास्य सर्वभूतेषु कश्चित् अर्थ व्यपाश्रयः ॥ १८ ॥
तस्मात् असक्तः सततम् कार्यम् कर्म समाचर ।
असक्तो हि आचरन् कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ॥ १९ ॥

yastu Atma ratireva syAt Atma tRptazca mAnavaH |
Atmanyeva ca santuSTaH tasya kAryam na vidyate || 17 ||
naiva tasya kRtenArtho nAkRtena iha kazcana |
na cAsya sarvabhUteSu kazcit artha vyapAzrayaH || 18 ||
tasmAt asaktaH satatam kAryam karma samAcara |
asakto hi Acaran karma paramApnoti pUruSaH || 19 ||

यस्तु मानवः [yastu mAnavaH] The person who आत्मरतिः एव [AtmaratiH eva] is always inclined towards the Self, आत्म तृप्तश्च [Atma tRptazca] satisfied in the Self alone, आत्मनि एव सन्तुष्टः [Atmani eva santuSTaH] and who enjoys being in the Self alone - तस्य कार्यम् न विद्यते [tasya kAryam na vidyate] he is not bound to perform any actions. तस्य कृतेन [tasya kRtena] Activity अर्थः नैव [arthaH naiva] does not fulfil his wish. इह कश्चन न [iha kazcana na] there is no consequence over here, अकृतेन [akRtena] if he does not perform something. अस्य [asya] To him, कश्चित् अर्थव्यपाश्रयः नैव [kazcit arthavyapAzrayaH naiva] benefit-driven relationships do not exist. तस्मात् [tasmAt] Hence, सततम् [satatam] always समाचर [samAcara] perform कार्यम् कर्म [kAryam karma] your activity, असक्तः [asaktaH] without being driven by attachments or addictions. आचरन् हि [Acaran hi] Only by performing कर्म [karma] actions असक्तः [asaktaH] without being driven by attachments, पूरुषः [pUruSaH] a person परम् आप्नोति [param Apnoti] will attain the realization of the Self.

A person who is focused on the Self need not do anything special to achieve the Self. The Self is automatically visible within, by his own nature. This person naturally revels in the Self, is inclined towards the Self and is satisfied by the Self; not by other things like food or entertainment; he isn’t arrogant because he knows the Self , or because he works without attachment . His refuge, nourishment and consumption are all in the Self alone.

Due to this, anything done by him for the purpose of achieving the Self is of no added benefit. If he stays without doing anything to achieve the Self, there is no loss- he can see the Self without any effort or strife. Being disinterested in anything other than the Self, he does not have a dependency in the form of ‘this is useful to me’, towards any inanimate object. He does not need to do anything to achieve this independence. He is truly free.

He does not indulge in accomplishments, since he does not need any accomplishment to realize the Self. Even for those who are involved in accomplishing things, the best action is कर्मयोग [karmayoga] - working without attachment towards its outcome. It’s easy to practice, is free of fault and has the knowledge of the Self embedded in it.

Due to this reason, keep working without any attachment until the Self is realized. Consider your action merely as a duty - ‘something to be done’. The person who practices this form of action - without believing that he is the cause of the outcome - will attain the supreme goal ( moksha ) and realize the Self.