Chapter 2 · Sankhya Yoga · ४७
Your right is to action
Reflect on this shlok
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन। मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥
Transliteration
karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣhu kadāchana mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇi
Sit with this verse
The weight of verse 47 sits on “karmaṇi — in prescribed duties”. You have a right to perform your duty, but not to the fruits of your actions. Join “eva — only” to one small task today. That is why Sankhya Yoga is arranged in sequence.
Meaning
You have a right to perform your duty, but not to the fruits of your actions.
Commentary: Swami AdidevanandaAnother reading
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.
Commentary: Swami GambiranandaWord meanings
karmaṇi — in prescribed duties
eva — only
adhikāraḥ — right
te — your
mā — not
phaleṣhu — in the fruits
kadāchana — 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
Essence
Krishna invites us to release anxiety about results and bring wholehearted attention to our duty.
A life example
A student can focus on studying sincerely each day instead of being consumed by the exam result.
Its place in sequence
This verse follows “यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके। तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः।।2.46।।” and precedes “योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय। सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते।।2.48।।”. Reading the three together restores the rhythm of the dialogue.
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