BHAGAVAD-GITA 2:47

[Guest guest]

BHAGAVAD-GITA 2:47

 

karmany evadhikaras te

ma phalesu kadacana

ma karma-phala-hetur bhur

ma te sango 'stv akarmani

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

karmani--in prescribed duties; eva--certainly; adhikarah--right;

te--of you; ma--never; phalesu--in the fruits; kadacana--at any time;

ma--never; karma-phala--in the result of the work; hetuh--cause;

bhuh--become; ma--never; te--of you; sangah--attachment; astu--there

should be; akarmani--in not doing prescribed duties.

 

TRANSLATION

 

You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not

entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of

the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing

your duty.

 

PURPORT

 

There are three considerations here: prescribed duties, capricious

work, and inaction. Prescribed duties are activities enjoined in terms

of one's acquired modes of material nature. Capricious work means

actions without the sanction of authority, and inaction means not

performing one's prescribed duties. The Lord advised that Arjuna not

be inactive, but that he perform his prescribed duty without being

attached to the result. One who is attached to the result of his work

is also the cause of the action. Thus he is the enjoyer or sufferer of

the result of such actions.

 

As far as prescribed duties are concerned, they can be fitted into

three subdivisions, namely routine work, emergency work and desired

activities. Routine work performed as an obligation in terms of the

scriptural injunctions, without desire for results, is action in the

mode of goodness. Work with results becomes the cause of bondage;

therefore such work is not auspicious. Everyone has his proprietory

right in regard to prescribed duties, but should act without

attachment to the result; such disinterested obligatory duties

doubtlessly lead one to the path of liberation.

 

Arjuna was therefore advised by the Lord to fight as a matter of duty

without attachment to the result. His nonparticipation in the battle

is another side of attachment. Such attachment never leads one to the

path of salvation. Any attachment, positive or negative, is cause for

bondage. Inaction is sinful. Therefore, fighting as a matter of duty

was the only auspicious path of salvation for Arjuna.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.