Verse 2.47
bg.2.47
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन। मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि।।2.47।।
— Sanskrit (gita/gita data/verse.json)
karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣhu kadāchana mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇi
— Transliteration (gita/gita data/verse.json)
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.
— English — Swami Sivananda (praneshp1org/Bhagavad-Gita-JSON-data translation.json)
।।2.47।। कर्तव्य-कर्म करनेमें ही तेरा अधिकार है, फलोंमें कभी नहीं। अतः तू कर्मफलका हेतु भी मत बन और तेरी अकर्मण्यतामें भी आसक्ति न हो।
— Hindi — Swami Ramsukhdas (praneshp1org/Bhagavad-Gita-JSON-data translation.json)
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
— Word meanings (gita/gita data/verse.json)
Commentary
This is one of the most famous verses of the Gita. Krishna tells Arjuna that he has the right to perform his prescribed duties, but he is not entitled to the fruits of his actions. One should never consider oneself to be the cause of the results of activities, nor should one be attached to inaction. The key teaching is Nishkama Karma — selfless action performed without attachment to results.
The verse establishes the doctrine of action without attachment. The word 'adhikāra' implies both right and qualification. One is qualified to act, but the results belong to the cosmic order. By performing duty without selfish motive, one becomes free from the bondage of karma and attains liberation.