Steadiness in good action is Sat.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च स्थितिः सदिति चोच्यते |कर्म चैव तदर्थीयं सदित्येवाभिधीयते ||१७-२७||
yajñe tapasi dāne ca sthitiḥ saditi cocyate . karma caiva tadarthīyaṃ sadityevābhidhīyate ||17-27||
Use this verse to build consistency in sacred habits.
Meaning
Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is also called Sat; action done for that purpose is also called Sat.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Sat includes steadiness in sacred action and work done for truth.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna extends Sat from meaning to practice. It is not enough to admire truth; one must remain steady in sacrifice, discipline, charity, and actions done for the highest purpose.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna extends the meaning of Sat still further. Steadfastness (sthiti) in the three great practices — sacrifice, austerity, and giving — is itself called Sat. And any action performed tad-arthiyam, for the sake of That Supreme, is likewise designated Sat. Thus both the constancy of the practitioner and the orientation of the act toward the Divine make a deed 'real' and 'good' in the highest sense.
The teaching honours perseverance and right intention together. It is not enough to act well once; sustained, steady commitment to sacrifice, discipline, and generosity is itself a form of the sacred. Likewise, when work is dedicated to the Absolute rather than to the ego, it is elevated and consecrated.
In a few words Krishna gathers the chapter's threads: faith, discipline, and selfless dedication, persistently lived and offered to the Supreme, become participation in Sat — in Being and Goodness itself.
In daily life
Keep returning to sacrifice, discipline, and giving with sincerity.
A person can build a weekly rhythm of study, service, and charity instead of occasional bursts.
Try this today
Choose one Sat practice to repeat weekly.
I stay steady in truth, discipline, and giving.Reflect
Where do I need steadiness in good action?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘स्थितिः’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on devotion, in other chapters
- Verse 12.10Even if you cannot meditate, make your daily work an offering to God and you will reach perfection.
- Verse 7.17The purest devotion seeks the Divine for nothing but Itself — and there, love flows mutually between the soul and God.
- Verse 8.4The Lord of all sacrifice dwells within your own body, so every offering reaches the Divine seated in your heart.
- Verse 3.9Turn your work into an offering greater than yourself, and the same action that would bind you instead sets you free.
Swipe left for 17.28 · Faith gives sacred action its life.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 17.27
Who says Bhagavad Gita 17.27, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 17.27, in Chapter 17, Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga (Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 17.27 mean?
Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity, and charity is also called Sat; action done for that purpose is also called Sat. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 17.27 for daily life?
Keep returning to sacrifice, discipline, and giving with sincerity. A person can build a weekly rhythm of study, service, and charity instead of occasional bursts.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 17.27 mean?
यज्ञे तपसि दाने च — in sacrifice, austerity, and gift; स्थितिः — steadfastness, firm devotion; सत् इति च उच्यते — is also called 'Sat'; कर्म च एव तदर्थीयम् — and action done for the sake of That (the Supreme); सत् इति एव अभिधीयते — is likewise called 'Sat'.
Where does verse 17.27 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 27 of 28 in Chapter 17, Shraddhatraya Vibhaga Yoga. The next verse is 17.28.