Gita Shloka
CHAPTER 2, VERSE 47
karmaey evadhikaras te
ma phalenu kadacana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhuh
ma te saigo 'stv akarmani
| eva : |
certainly |
| te : |
you have |
| adhikarau : |
a right |
| karmaei : |
to your prescribed duty; (you have) |
| ma : |
no (right) |
| kada : |
can |
| a : |
at
any time |
| phalenu : |
to the fruits of work (do) |
| ma : |
not |
| bhuu : |
be |
| hetuu : |
motivated |
| karma-phala : |
towards the results of work |
| te ma astu : |
you should not have |
| saigau : |
attachment |
| akarmaei : |
to not doing prescribed duties. |
You are eligible only to perform your prescribed
work, but you have no right to the fruits. You should
not consider yourself to be the cause of the result of
your actions, nor should you become attached to
neglecting your duties.
Sri Bhagavan, the instructor of jnana-yoga, bhakti-yoga and
karma-yoga, has so far aimed His instructions about jnanayoga
and bhakti-yoga towards His dear friend Arjuna. Now,
having considered Arjuna's anadhikara (ineligibility) to perform
these two processes, He explains niskama-karma-yoga
in two slokas, the first beginning with karmani.
By the words ma phalesu, Krsna intends to say that those
who desire the fruits of their actions have extremely impure
hearts. "Your heart, however, is almost pure. I know this, and
that is why I am speaking in this way."
If one points out that
any action one performs will bear fruit, Sri Bhagavan responds:
ma karma-phala-hetur bhuh. "A person becomes the cause
of the fruit only when he acts with a desire for it. You should
not act like that. I bless you not to fall into this category.
Akarma means neglecting prescribed duties and vikarma
means performing sinful activities. You should not become
attached to either of these. Rather, you should despise them.
I again bless you that you will be able to do this."
In Gita (3.2), Arjuna says: vyamisreneva vakyena buddhim
mohayasiva me. "My intelligence is bewildered by Your apparently
ambiguous instructions."
From this it should be
understood that the previous statements of this chapter are
not entirely consistent with later statements. But here, Sri
Krsna's inner feelings (mano-bhava) towards Arjuna are
worth considering. "Just as I have become your subordinate
by acting as your chariot driver, similarly you should also
become a follower of My order."
This text excerpt has been taken from Srimad Bhagavad-Gita - A profound translation of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja. (Available at www.purebhakti.com)
Please note: All copyright remains with them for this information.
