Bhagavad Gita 2.49
Chapter 2, verse 49
Meaning
Action done only for its reward falls far short of action guided by settled understanding, Dhanañjaya. Take shelter in that understanding. Those who act only for the payoff are to be pitied; they have made themselves small.
The Sanskrit
दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनञ्जय ।
बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः ॥ ४९ ॥
dūreṇa hy avaraṃ karma buddhiyogād dhanaṃjaya
buddhau śaraṇam anviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ
Say it
doo-ray-nuh hyuh-vuh-rum kur-muh bud-dhi-yo-gaad-dhuh-nun-juh-yuh
bud-dhau shuh-ruh-num un-vich-chuh kri-puh-naah phuh-luh-hay-tuh-vuh-hu
Word by word
- dūreṇa hi avaram karma
- action (done for gain) is far inferior
- buddhi-yogāt
- to the yoga of understanding
- dhanaṃjaya
- winner of wealth (Arjuna)
- buddhau śaraṇam anviccha
- take refuge in that understanding
- kṛpaṇāḥ
- pitiable, small-minded
- phala-hetavaḥ
- those whose motive is the fruit
Read it in context: verses 2.49–52Yoga is skill in actionWith the story so far, commentary, and today's lesson: The skill is in the doing
Another translation and audio recitation: verse 2.49 on holy-bhagavad-gita.org.
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