Bhagavad Gita 2.49
Sankhya Yoga · English Translation
Sanskrit
दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनञ्जय | बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः ||२-४९||
Transliteration
dūreṇa hyavaraṃ karma buddhiyogāddhanañjaya . buddhau śaraṇamanviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ ||2-49||
Far lower than the Yoga of wisdon is action, O Arjuna. Seek thou refuge in wisdom; wretched are they whose motive is the fruit.
Word by Word
दूरेण by far, हि indeed, अवरम् inferior, कर्म action or work, बुद्धियोगात् than the Yoga of wisdom, धनञ्जय O Dhananjaya, बुद्धौ in wisdom, शरणम् refuge, अन्विच्छ seek, कृपणाः wretched, फलहेतवः seekers after fruits
Classical Commentary
Action done with evenness of mind is Yoga of wisdom. The yogi who is established in the Yoga of widdom is not affected by success or failure. He does not seek fruits of his actions. He has poised reason. His reason is rooted in the Self. Action performed by one who expects fruits for his actions, is far inferior to the Yoga of wisdom wherein the seeker does not seek fruits because the former leads to bondage and is the cause of birth and death. (Cf. VIII.18).