Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse: 47 The verse is—
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥ २-४७
Karmanye vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,
Ma Karmaphalaheturbhurma Te Sangostvakarmani
We have noticed, sometimes people use two words for कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते or
Karmanyevadhikaraste and write it “Karmanye Vadhikaraste”, that is also
fine, but I feel it is better to use it as one word, as in the original
sloka (verse), it is a joined word (sandhi). (Karmaya+eva+adhikarah+te) The
meaning of the verse is—You have the right to work only but never to its
fruits. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your
attachment be to inaction. Now, here is the word to word meaning of the
verse—
First line: First part कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते/Karmanye vadhikaraste
कर्मण्य/Karmanya = In the work
एव/Eva = Only
अधिकार/Adhikar = Right
ते/Te = Your
Second part मा फलेषु कदाचन/Ma Phaleshu Kadachana
मा/Ma = No/Not
फलेषु/Phaleshu = In the fruit/result (the root word is “फल”/”Phal” here,
means, “fruit of work”)
कदाचन/Kadachana = Ever (in some web articles, this word has been translated
as “never”, actually कदाचन/Kadacana means “ever” or “at any time”. Note the
word मा/Ma, now मा/Ma + कदाचन/Kadacana = No + ever = Never, that’s how it
becomes “Never”)
Second line: First part मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा/Ma Karmaphalaheturbhurma
मा/Ma = No/Not
कर्मफल/Karmaphala = Two words, Karma+Phala, कर्म/Karma = work and फल/phala
= result or fruit of the work.
हेतु /हेतु = Here it means “motive” (the word “hetu” may mean “reason” too)
भु /bhu = be
मा/Ma = No/Not
Second part ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि/Te Sangostvakarmani
ते/Te = Your
संग /Sang =attachment (this word may mean “companion too”, like “satsang”)
अस्तु /Astu = Let there be
अकर्मणि /Akarmani = In inaction
Swami Vivekananda’s commentaries on the Verse Swamiji told— Be beyond the
common worldly motives. “To work you have the right, but not to the fruits
thereof.” Man can train himself to know and to practice that, says the
Karma-Yogi. When the idea of doing good becomes a part of his very being,
then he will not seek for any motive outside. Let us do good because it is
good to do good; he who does good work even in order to get to heaven binds
himself down, says the Karma-Yogi. Any work that is done with any the least
selfish motive, instead of making us free, forges one more chain for our
feet. Bring all light into the world. Light, bring light! Let light come
unto every one; the task will not be finished till everyone has reached the
Lord. Bring light to the poor and bring more light to the rich, for they
require it more than the poor. Bring light to the ignorant, and more light
to the educated, for the vanities of the education of our time are
tremendous! Thus, bring light to all and leave the rest unto the Lord, for
in the words of the same Lord “To work you have the right and not to the
fruits thereof.” “Let not your work produce results for you, and at the
same time may you never be without work.”
Despair not; remember the Lord says in the Gita, “To work you have the
right, but not to the result.” Gird up your loins, my boy. I am called by
the Lord for this. I have been dragged through a whole life full of crosses
and tortures, I have seen the nearest and dearest die, almost of
starvation; I have been ridiculed, distrusted, and have suffered for my
sympathy for the very men who scoff and scorn. Well, my boy, this is the
school of misery, which is also the school for great souls and prophets for
the cultivation of sympathy, of patience, and, above all, of an indomitable
iron will which quakes not even if the universe be pulverized at our feet.
How hard it is to arrive at this sort of non-attachment! Therefore, Krishna
shows us the lower ways and methods. The easiest way for everyone is to do
[his or her] work and not take the results. It is our desire that binds us.
If we take the results of actions, whether good or evil, we will have to
bear them. But if we work not for ourselves, but all for the glory of the
Lord, the results will take care of themselves. “To work you have the
right, but not to the fruits thereof.” The soldier works for no results. He
does his duty. If defeat comes, it belongs to the general, not to the
soldier. We do our duty for love’s sake — love for the general, love for
the Lord. Krishna did everything but without any attachment; he was in the
world, but not of it. “Do all work but without attachment; work for work’s
sake, never for yourself.” Let me remind you again, “Thou hast the right to
work but not to the fruits thereof.” Stand firm like a rock. Truth always
triumphs.
This world is not for cowards. Do not try to fly. Look not for success or
failure. Join yourself to the perfectly unselfish will and work on. Know
that the mind which is born to succeed joins itself to a determined will
and perseveres. You have the right to work, but do not become so degenerate
as to look for results. Work incessantly, but see something behind the
work. Even good deeds can find a man in great bondage. Therefore, be not
bound by good deeds or by desire for name and fame. Those who know this
secret pass beyond this round of birth and death and become immortal. What
is your motive? Are you sure that you are not actuated by greed of gold, by
thirst for fame or power? Are you really sure that you can stand to your
ideals and work on, even if the whole world wants to crush you down? Are
you sure you know what you want and will perform your duty, and that alone,
even if your life is at stake? Are you sure that you will persevere so long
as life endures, so long as there is one pulsation left in the heart? Then
you are a real reformer, you are a teacher, a Master, a blessing to
mankind. But man is so impatient, so short-sighted! He has not the patience
to wait, he has not the power to see. He wants to rule, he wants results
immediately. Why? He wants to reap the fruits himself, and does not really
care for others. Duty for duty’s sake is not what he wants. “To work you
have the right, but not to the fruits thereof,” says Krishna. Why cling to
results? Ours are the duties. Let the fruits take care of themselves. But
man has no patience. He takes up any scheme. The larger number of would-be
reformers all over the world can be classed under this heading.
KR This verse tags you to another verse of -ACTION IN INACTION
AND INACTION IN ACTION THE LATTER BEING STRESSED HERE. In another place HE
advocated that, though HE has nothing to do nor expected to do anything,
still he is acting-running the chariot of Arjuna, which act , never
involved HIM. Hence concept of work alone is important viz KARMA MARGA AND
NOT MAYA WORK WE DO. Later HE says, you totally surrender -I shall absolve
you from all the sins; then suppose a murderer who killed so many, truly
surrenders; yes, work of MAYA is never existing; so surrender is the
purpose of life which he claimed; and the reward is already announced.
Then, many would ask, so I am a righteous man but he is a killer and still
he would become better than me, because of a surrender? Yes Moksha is not
MAYA but the TRUTH the Bramham. It is impossible to attain. HE said
elsewhere, ONLY ONE IN AMILLION COULD ATTAIN IT. So HE challenges the
surrender as a tool. And whosoever in spite of fallen sinner, could do it,
then he is a real karma yogi, so deserves HIS blessings. Hence fruition
cannot be weighed against the norms of work alone; When ACTION becomes
INACTION (not his action) KARMA becomes the Bramham the reward, which can
never be anticipated by the actor. K Rajaram IRS 7525
On Wed, 7 May 2025 at 04:57, Jambunathan Iyer <[email protected]> wrote:
> *“You have the right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not
> entitled to the fruits of your actions.”* — *Bhagavad Gita 2.47*
>
> N Jambunathan Rengarajapuram-Kodambakkam-Chennai-Mob:9176159004
>
> *" What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you
> become by achieving your goals. If you want to live a happy life, tie it to
> a goal, not to people or things "*
>
>
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