BhG 3.18

syntax

iha (here) kṛtena (by work) tasya (his) [ātma-rateḥ] (whose delight is in the self) arthaḥ (purpose) na eva [asti] (certainly there is not),
akṛtena (by no work) kaś-cana (any) [arthaḥ] (purpose) na [asti] (there is not),
sarva-bhūteṣu ca (and among all beings) asya (his) kaś-cit (any) artha-vyapāśrayaḥ (shelter in purpose) na [asti] (there is not).

grammar

na	–	av. – not;
eva	–	av. – certainly, just, merely;
tasya	–	tat sn. 6n.1 m. – his;
kṛtena	–	kṛta (√kṛ – to do) PP 3n.1 n. – by what is done, by work;
arthaḥ	–	artha 1n.1 m. – purpose, advantage, concern, object, wealth (from: √arth – to strive to obtain, to desire, to request);
na	–	av. – not;
akṛtena	–	a-kṛta (√kṛ – to do) PP 3n.1 n. – by what is not done, by no work;
iha	–	av. – here (often meaning: in this world);
kaś-cana	–	kim-cana sn. 1n.1 m. – any (from: kim – what?; -cana – indefinitive particle);
na	–	av. – not;
ca	–	av. – and;
asya	–	idam sn. 6n.1 n. – his;
sarva-bhūteṣu	–	sarva-bhūta 7n.3 m.; sarveṣu bhūteṣu iti – among all beings (from: sarva – all, whole; √bhū – to be, PP bhūta – been, real, world);
kaś-cit	–	kim-cit sn. 1n.1 m. – any (from: kim – what?; -cit – indefinitive particle);
artha-vyapāśrayaḥ	–	artha-vyapāśraya 1n.1 m.; arthe vyapāśrayaḥ iti – shelter in the purpose (from: √arth – to strive to obtain, to desire, to request, artha – purpose, advantage, concern, object, wealth; vi-apa-ā-√śri – to go to for refuge, to have recourse to, vyapāśraya – place of refuge, shelter);

textual variants

kaś-cana → kiṃ-cana (in no way);

Śāṃkara

The key:
an excerpt from the commented verse
quotes from the scriptures
starting polemic

Moreover,		kiṃ ca —
For him, there is here no interest whatever in what is done or what is not done. Nor is there in all beings any one he should resort to for any object.		naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana | na cāsya sarva-bhūteṣu kaścid artha-vyapāśrayaḥ ||3.18||
For the man thus rejoicing in the Self, no purpose is served by action.		naiva tasya paramātma-rateḥ kṛtena karmaṇārthaḥ prayojanam asti |
– Does, then, any evil called sin (pratyavaya) arise from inaction ? – No evil whatever, either by way of incurring sin, or by way of losing the Self, arises in this world from inaction.		astu tarhy akṛtenākaraṇena pratyavāyākhyo ’narthaḥ | nākṛteneha loke kaścana kaścid api pratyavāya-prāpti-rūpaḥ ātma-hāni-lakṣaṇo vā naivāsti |
Nor is there, in all beings from Brahma (Prajapati) down to the sthavara or immovable objects, any whose support he has to gain by action.		na cāsya sarva-bhūteṣu brahmādi-sthāvarānteṣu bhūteṣu kaścid artha-vyapāśrayaḥ |
He has no object whatever to gain, for which he has to depend upon any particular being: if he were to have any object in view, then he would have to exert himself to gain that object.		prayojana-nimitta-kriyā-sādhyo vyapāśrayaḥ | vyapāśrayaṇam ālambanaṃ kaṃcit bhūta-viśeṣam āśritya na sādhyaḥ kaścid artho ’sti, yena tad-arthā kriyā anuṣṭheyā syāt |
Arjuna qualified for Karma yoga. You have not attained to the right knowledge, which corresponds to the all-spreading flood of water (2.46).		na tvam etasmin sarvataḥ saṃplutodaka-sthānīye (BhG 2.46) samyag-darśane vartase ||3.18||

Rāmānuja

asādhanāyattātmadarśanasya muktasyeva mahāyajñādivarṇāśramocitakarmānārambha ity āha

yas tu jñānayogakarmayogasādhananirapekṣaḥ svata evātmaratiḥ ātmābhimukhaḥ, ātmanaiva tṛptaḥ nānnapānādibhir ātmavyatiriktaiḥ, ātmany eva ca santuṣṭaḥ, nodyānasrakcandanagītavāditranṛttādau, dhāraṇapoṣaṇabhogyādikaṃ sarvam atmaiva yasya, tasyātmadarśanāya kartavyaṃ na vidyate, svata eva sarvadā dṛṣṭātmasvarūpatvāt / ata eva tasyātmadarśanāya kṛtena tatsādhanena nārthaḥ na kiṃcit prayojanam; akṛtenātmadarśanasādhanena na kaścid anarthaḥ; asādhanāyattātmadarśanatvāt / svata evātmavyatiriktasakalācidvastuvimukhasyāsya sarveṣu prakṛtipariṇāmaviśeṣeṣv ākāśādiṣu sakāryeṣu na kaścit prayojanatayā sādhanatayā vā vyapāśrayaḥ; yatas tadvimukhīkaraṇāya sādhanārambhaḥ; sa hi mukta eva

Śrīdhara

tatra hetum āha naiveti | kṛtena karmaṇā tasya arthaḥ puṇyaṃ naivāsti | na cākṛtena kaścana ko ‚pi pratyavāyo ‚sti | nirahaṅkāratvena vidhi-niṣedhātītatvāt | tathāpi tasmāt tad eṣāṃ devānāṃ na priyaṃ yad etan manuṣā vidur iti śrtuer mokṣe deva-kṛta-vighna-sambhavāt tat-parihārārthaṃ karmabhir devāḥ sevyā ity āśaṅkyoktaṃ sarva-bhūteṣu brahmādi-sthāvarānteṣu kaścid artha-vyapāśrayaḥ āśraya eva vyapāśrayaḥ | artho mokṣa āśrayaṇīyo ‚sya nāstīty arthaḥ | vighnābhāvasya śrutyaivoktatvāt | tathā ca śrutiḥ — tasya ha na devāś ca nābhūtyā īśate ātmā hy eṣāṃ sa bhavati iti śravaṇāt | hanety avyayam apy-arthe | devā api tasyātma-tattva-jñasya abhūtyai brahma-bhāva-pratibandhāya neśate na śaknuvantīti śruter arthaḥ | deva-kṛtās tu vighnāḥ samyag-jñānotpatteḥ prāg eva | yad etad brahma manuṣyā vidus tad eṣāṃ devānāṃ na priyam iti brahma-jñānasyaiva apriyatvoktyā tatraiva vighna-kartṛtvasya sūcitatvāt

Madhusūdana

nanv ātmavido ‚pi abhyudayārthaṃ niḥśreyasārthaṃ pratyavāya-parihārārthaṃ vā karma syād ity ata āha naiveti | tasyātma-rateḥ kṛtena karmaṇābhyudaya-lakṣaṇo niḥśreyasa-lakṣaṇo vārthaṃ prayojanaṃ naivāsti tasya svargādy-abhyudayānarthitvāt | niḥśreyasasya ca karmāsādhyatvāt | tathā ca śrutiḥ – parīkṣya lokān karma-cittān brāhmaṇo nirvedam āyān nāsty akṛtaḥ kṛtena iti | akṛto nityo mokṣaḥ kṛtena karmaṇā nāstīty arthaḥ | jñāna-sādhyasyāpi vyāvṛttir eva-kāreṇa sūcitā | ātma-rūpasya hi niḥśreyasya nitya-prāptasyājñāna-mātram aprāptiḥ | tac ca tattva-jñāna-mātrāpanodyam | tasmiṃs tattva-jñānenāpanunne tasyātma-vido na kiṃcit karma-sādhyaṃ jñāna-sādhyaṃ vā prayojanam astīty arthaḥ |

evaṃbhūtenāpi pratyavāya-parihārārthaṃ karmāṇy anuṣṭheyāny evety ata āha nākṛteneti | bhāve niṣṭhā | nitya-karmākaraṇeneha loke garhitatva-rūpaḥ pratyavāya-prāpti-rūpo vā kaścanārtho nāsti | sarvatropapattim āhottarārdhena | co hetau | yasmād asyātma-vidaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu brahmādi-sthāvarānteṣu ko ‚pi artha-vyapāśrayaḥ prayojana-sambandho nāsti | kaṃcid bhūta-viśeṣam āśritya ko ‚pi kriyā-sādhyo ‚rtho nāstīti vākyārthaḥ | ato ‚sya kṛtākṛte niṣprayojanaṃ naiva kṛtākṛte tapataḥ iti śruteḥ | tasya ha na devāś canābhūtyā īśata ātmā hy eṣāṃ na bhavati iti śruter devā api tasya mokṣābhavanāya na samarthā ity ukter na vighnābhāvārtham api devārādhana-rūpa-karmānuṣṭhānam ity abhiprāyaḥ |

etādṛśo brahma-vid-bhūmikā-saptaka-bhedena nirūpito vasiṣṭhena –

jñāna-bhūmiḥ śubhecchākhyā prathamā parikīrtitā |
vicāraṇā dvitīyā syāt tṛtīyā tanu-mānasā ||
sattvāpattiś caturthī syāt tato ‚saṃsakti-nāsikā |
padārthābhāvanī ṣaṣṭhī saptamī turyagā smṛtā || iti |

tatra nityānitya-vastu-vivekādi-puraḥsarā phala-paryavasāyinī mokṣecchā prathamā | tato gurum upasṛtya vedānta-vākya-vicāraḥ śravaṇa-mananātmako dvitīyā | tato nididhyāsanābhyāsena manasa ekāgratayā sūkṣma-vastu-grahaṇa-yogyatvaṃ tṛtīyā | etad bhūmikā-trayaṃ sādhana-rūpaṃ jāgrad-avasthocyate yogibhiḥ | bhedena jagato bhānāt | tad uktam –

bhūmikā-tritayaḥ tv etad rāma jāgrad iti sthitam |
yathāvad bheda-buddhyedaṃ jagaj jāgrati dṛśyate || iti |

tato vedānta-vākyān nirvikalpako brahmātmaikya-sākṣātkāraś caturthī bhūmikā phala-rūpā sattvāpattiḥ svapnāvasthocyate | sarvasyāpi jagato mithyātvena sphuraṇāt | tad uktam –

advaite sthairyam āyāte dvaite praśamam āgate |
paśyanti svapnaval lokaṃ caturthīṃ bhūmikām itāḥ || iti |

so ‚yaṃ caturtha-bhūmiṃ prāpto yogī brahmavid ity ucyate | pañcamī-ṣaṣṭhī-saptamyas tu bhūmikā jīvanmukter evāvāntara-bhedāḥ | tatra savikalpaka-samādhy-abhyāsena niruddhe manasi yā nirvikalpaka-samādhy-avasthā sāsaṃsaktir iti suṣuptir iti cocyate | tataḥ svayam eva vyutthānāt | so ‚yaṃ yogī brahma-vid-varaḥ | tatas tad-abhyāsa-paripākeṇa cira-kālāvasthāyinī sā padārthābhāvanīti gāḍha-suṣuptir iti cocyate | tataḥ svayam anusthitasya yoginaḥ para-prayatnenaiva vyutthānāt | so ‚yaṃ brahmavid varīyān | uktaṃ hi –

pañcamīṃ bhūmikām etya suṣupti-padanāmikām |
ṣaṣṭhīṃ gāḍha-suṣupty-ākhyāṃ kramāt patati bhūmikām || iti |

yasyās tu samādhy-avasthāyā na svato na vā parato vyutthito bhavati sarvathā bheda-darśanābhāvāt | kintu sarvadā tanmaya eva sva-prayatnam antareṇaiva parameśvara-prerita-prāṇa-vāyu-vaśād anyair nirvāhyamāṇa-daihika-vyavahāraḥ paripūrṇa-paramānanda-ghana eva sarvatas tiṣṭhati | sā saptamī turīyāvasthā | tāṃ prāpto brahmavid variṣṭha ity ucyate | uktaṃ hi –

ṣaṣṭhyāṃ bhūmām asau sthitvā saptamīṃ bhūmikām āpnuyāt |
kiṃcid evaiṣa sampannas tv athavaiṣa na kiṃcana ||
videha-muktatā tūktā saptamī yoga-bhūmikā |
agamyā vacasāṃ śāntā sā sīmā yoga-bhūmiṣu || iti |

yām adhikṛtya śrīmad-bhāgavate smaryate –

dehaṃ ca naśvaram avasthitam utthitaṃ vā
siddho na paśyati yato ‚dhyagamat svarūpam |
daivād apetam atha daiva-vaśād upetaṃ
vāso yathā parikṛtaṃ madirā-madāndhaḥ ||

deho ‚pi daiva-vaśa-gaḥ khalu karma yāvat
svārambhakaṃ pratisamīkṣata eva sāsuḥ |
taṃ sa-prapañcam adhirūṭha-samādhi-yogaḥ
svāpnaṃ punar na bhajate pratibuddha-vastuḥ ||[BhP 11.13.36-37]

śrutiś ca – tad yathā ‚hinirlvyayanī valmīke mṛtā pratyastā śayītaivam evedaṃ śarīraṃ śete ‚thāyam aśarīro ‚mṛtaḥ prāṇo brahmaiva teja eva iti |

tatrāyaṃ saṅgrahaḥ –

caturthī bhūmikā jñānaṃ tisraḥ syuḥ sādhanaṃ purā |
jīvan-mukter avasthāstu parās tisraḥ prakīrtitāḥ ||

atra prathama-bhūmi-trayam ārūḍho ‚jño ‚pi na karmādhikārī kiṃ punas tattva-jñānī tad-viśiṣṭo jīvan-mukto vety abhiprāyaḥ

Viśvanātha

kṛtenānuṣṭhitena karmaṇā nārtho na phalam | akṛtena kañcana pratavāyo ‚pi na, yasmād asya sarva-bhūteṣu brahmāṇḍa-sthāvarādiṣu madhye kaścid apy arthāya sva-prayojanārthaṃ vyapāśraya āśrayaṇīyo na bhavati | purāṇādiṣu vyapāśraya-śabdena tathaivocyate, yathā –

vāsudeve bhagavati bhaktim udvahatāṃ nṛṇām |
jñāna-vairāgya-vīryāṇāṃ neha kaścid vyapāśrayaḥ || [BhP 6.17.31] iti |

tathā-yad-upāśrayāśrayāḥ śuddhyanti [BhP 2.7.46] iti | saṃsthā-hetur upāśrayaḥ ity ādāv apy apety upasargasyānadhikārthaṃ dṛṣṭam

Baladeva

kṛtena tad-avalokanāyānuṣṭhitena karmaṇārthaḥ phalaṃ naivāsti | akṛtena tad-avalokanāsādhanena karmaṇā kaścanānarthaś ca tad-avalokana-kṣati-lakṣaṇa iha na bhavati | svābhāvikātmāvalokanāt | na tv īdṛśo ‚pi deva-kṛtād vighnād bibhyat tat-toṣāya tat-pūjātmakaṃ karma kuryāt | śrutiś ca devān jñāna-dviṣaḥ prāha-tasmāt tad eṣāṃ devānāṃ na priyaṃ yad etan manuṣā vidur iti | tatrāha na ceti | asya labdhātmāvalokasya viduṣaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu deveṣu mānaveṣu ca madhye kaścid apy arthāyātma-ratir nairvighnāya vyapāśrayaḥ karmabhiḥ sevyo na bhavati | jñānodayāt pūrvam eva deva-kṛtā vighnāḥ tenātma-ratau satyāṃ tu na tat-kṛtās te tat-prabhāveṇa sambhavanti | tasya ha na devāś ca nābhūtyā īśate ātmā hy eṣāṃ sambhavati iti śravaṇāt | hanety apy-arthe nipātaḥ | devā api tasyātmānubhavino |bhūtyai ātma-rati-kṣataye neśate | hi yasmād eṣāṃ sa ātmā tadvat preṣṭho bhavatīty arthaḥ