Word meanings
- karmaṇi
- in prescribed duties
- eva
- only
- adhikāraḥ
- right
- te
- your
- mā
- not
- phaleṣu
- in the fruits
- kadācana
- 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
Translations
Your right is only to work, but not to its results; do not let the results of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.
But you have only the right to work, but none to the fruit of it. Let not the fruit of your action be your motive; nor be you enamored of inaction.
Your right is only to act, not to the results. Do not be the cause of the results of action. Do not have any inclination towards inaction.
कर्तव्य-कर्म करनेमें ही तेरा अधिकार है, फलोंमें कभी नहीं। अतः तू कर्मफलका हेतु भी मत बन और तेरी अकर्मण्यतामें भी आसक्ति न हो।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 them.
In 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.