अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मण: फलम् ।
भवत्यत्यागिनां प्रेत्य न तु सन्न्यासिनां क्वचित् ॥ १२ ॥
aniṣhṭam iṣhṭaṁ miśhraṁ cha tri-vidhaṁ karmaṇaḥ phalam
bhavaty atyāgināṁ pretya na tu sannyāsināṁ kvachit
श्लोक १२: जो मनुष्य विरक्त नहीं होते, उन्हें मृत्यु के पश्चात अपने कर्मों का फल मिलता है। ये फल तीन प्रकार के होते हैं - अच्छे, बुरे, या दोनों का मिश्रण। यद्यपि, जिन्होंने अपने कर्मों के परिणामों के प्रति आसक्ति छोड़ दी है, उन्हें ऐसे किसी भी परिणाम का अनुभव नहीं करना पड़ता।
Shloka 12: Those who are not renounced, after death they receive the results of their action which are of three types – whether they be good, bad or a mix of both. However, those who have given up attachment to the results of their action do not experience any such consequences.
Bhagavad Gita verse 18.12 presents a profound insight into the consequences of our actions based on our relationship with renunciation. In this verse, Sri Krishna reveals that those who are unable to renounce attachment to their actions (atyāginām) experience three types of karmic results after death: pleasant (iṣṭam), unpleasant (aniṣṭam), or mixed (miśram). These outcomes directly correspond to the nature of one's actions and the intentions behind them.The verse makes a clear distinction between those who act with expectation of results and those who have truly embraced renunciation. For the non-renouncers, good actions with selfish motives may lead to heavenly pleasures or favorable conditions, while negative actions bring suffering. Most commonly, people act with mixed intentions and therefore receive mixed results—experiencing both joy and sorrow as consequences of their varied actions.In contrast, those who have embraced true renunciation (sannyāsinām) remain untouched by these karmic outcomes. This doesn't mean they stop acting, but rather that they act without attachment to the fruits of their actions. Their work is performed as an offering, with detachment and devotion, rather than with selfish desire. This purifies their actions through knowledge and intention, freeing them from the bondage of karma.Here, Sri Krishna equates tyāga (giving up) with sannyāsa (renunciation), emphasizing that true renunciation is not about abandoning action itself but about relinquishing the expectation of personal reward. This karma-phala-tyāga (renunciation of the fruits of action) is what leads to liberation rather than the cycle of repeated birth and death that results from attachment.The wisdom in this verse reminds us that our current circumstances—our joys, sorrows, relationships, and even our physical well-being—largely stem from choices we've made in the past. Some decisions were conscious, while others were driven by habit, fear, or desire. Yet while we cannot alter our past actions, we have complete agency over our present choices, which will shape our future experiences.This teaching invites us to examine our intentions before acting. When we act from selfishness, even seemingly good actions may yield mixed or undesirable results. Conversely, when our intentions are pure—even in small actions—we create inner peace and set ourselves on a brighter path. Our actions, whether visible or invisible to others, carry consequences that will eventually manifest.The verse ultimately reveals that freedom doesn't come from escaping our responsibilities or avoiding action altogether. True liberation arises when we fulfill our duties without attachment to outcomes, acting from a place of sincerity rather than from fear or greed. This is how we transform our destiny—by planting seeds of conscious action today that will blossom into freedom tomorrow.
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