Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 47
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 2 श्लोक 47

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि।।2.47।।



English Translation - Swami Sivananda
2.47 Thy right is to work only, but never with its fruits; let not the fruits of action be thy motive, nor let thy attachment be to inaction.


English Commentary  - Swami Sivananda
2.47 कर्मणि in work? एव only? अधिकारः right? ते thy? मा not? फलेषु in the fruits? कदाचन  at any time? मा not? कर्मफलहेतुः भूः let not the fruits of action be thy motive? मा not? ते thy? सङ्गः attachment? अस्तु let (there) be? अकर्मणि in inaction.Commentary When you perform actions have no desire for the fruits thereof under any circumstances. If you thirst for the fruits of your actions? you will have to take birth again and again to enjoy them. Action done with expectation of fruits (rewards) brings bondage. If you do not thirst for them? you get purification of heart and you will get knowledge of the Self through purity of heart and through the knowledge of the Self you will be freed from the round of births and deaths.Neither let thy attachment be towards inaction thinking what is the use of doing actions when I cannot get any reward for themIn a broad sense Karma means action. It also means duty which one has to perform according to his caste or station of life. According to the followers of the Karma Kanda of the Vedas (the Mimamsakas) Karma means the rituals and sacrifices prescribed in the Vedas. It has a deep meaning also. It signifies the destiny or the storehouse of tendencies of a man which give rise to his future birth.


Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 2.47Karmanyevaadhikaaraste maa phaleshu kadaachana;
Maa karmaphalahetur bhoor maa te sango’stwakarmani.


Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 2.47karmaṇi—in prescribed duties; eva—only; adhikāraḥ—right; te—your; mā—not; phaleṣhu—in the fruits; kadāchana—at any time; mā—never; karma-phala—results of the activities; hetuḥ—cause; bhūḥ—be; mā—not; te—your; saṅgaḥ—attachment; astu—must be; akarmaṇi—in inaction