You Have Nothing to Lose, Because Nothing is Yours

A Lesson from the Bhagavad Gita

Life is a complex journey. We’re often caught in the whirlwind of desire, attachment, and fear. We cling to material possessions, relationships, and outcomes as if they define us, terrified that we might lose them. But what if I told you, as the Bhagavad Gita does, that you have nothing to lose because nothing is truly yours?

At first, this sounds like a grim conclusion. What do you mean nothing is mine? I earned my job, built my relationships, worked hard for my possessions. The Gita, however, invites us to question these very notions of ownership and attachment.

In Chapter 2, Verse 47, Krishna advises:

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥

“You have the right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction.”

The Burden of Attachment

We go through life clinging to outcomes, constantly worrying about what might happen if things don’t go our way. When we attribute our happiness or sense of self-worth to the things we possess, we put…