Word meanings
- brahmaṇi
- to God
- ādhāya
- dedicating
- karmāṇi
- all actions
- saṅgam
- attachment
- tyaktvā
- abandoning
- karoti
- performs
- yaḥ
- who
- lipyate
- is affected
- na
- never
- saḥ
- that person
- pāpena
- by sin
- padma-patram
- a lotus leaf
- iva
- like
- ambhasā
- by water
Translations
He who does actions, offering them to Brahman and abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not tainted by water.
He who dedicates his actions to the Spirit, without any personal attachment to them, is no more tainted by sin than the water lily is wetted by water.
One who acts by dedicating their actions to Brahman and by renouncing attachment, they do not become polluted by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not by water.
जो (भक्तियोगी) सम्पूर्ण कर्मोंको भगवान् में अर्पण करके और आसक्तिका त्याग करके कर्म करता है, वह जलसे कमलके पत्तेकी तरह पापसे लिप्त नहीं होता।Commentary
Chapter IV verses 18? 20? 21? 22? 23? 37? 41 Chapter V verses 10? 11 and 12 all convey the one idea that the Yogi who does actions without egoism and attachment to results or fruits of the actions, which he regards as offerings unto the Lord, is not tainted by the actions (Karma). He has no attachment even for Moksha. He sees inaction in action. All his actions are burnt in the fire of wisdom. He escapes from the wheel of Samsara. He is freed from the round of births and deaths.
He gets purity of heart and through purity of heart attains to the knowledge of the Self. Through the knowledge of the Self he is liberated. This is the gist of the above ten verses. (Cf.III.30)