Sankhya Yoga
The Yoga of Knowledge
In this chapter, Lord Krishna begins his teachings to Arjuna, who is overwhelmed with despair. Krishna explains the fundamental distinction between the temporary, material body and the eternal, spiritual soul. He introduces the concepts of duty (dharma), the nature of the self, and the path of selfless action (Karma Yoga).
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन | मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ||47||
You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.
Transliteration
karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣhu kadāchana | mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇi ||47||
Commentary
This is one of the most famous verses of the Bhagavad Gita. It encapsulates the core principle of Karma Yoga: acting selflessly without attachment to the outcome. It teaches to focus on the action itself, performed as a sense of duty, rather than being motivated by the desire for its rewards.
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः | वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ||56||
One whose mind is not perturbed by adversity, who does not crave for happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady wisdom.
Transliteration
duḥkheṣhv-anudvigna-manāḥ sukheṣhu vigata-spṛihaḥ | vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ sthita-dhīr munir uchyate ||56||
Commentary
Krishna describes the qualities of a person with a stable mind (sthita-prajna). Such a person maintains equanimity in the face of life's dualities—pain and pleasure, success and failure. This mental stability is a hallmark of spiritual enlightenment.