SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
kAryam ithyEva yath karma niyatham kriyathE’rjuna |
sangam thyakthvA palam chaiva sa thyAga: sAthvikO matha: ||
word-by-word meaning
arjuna – Oh arjuna!
niyatham karma – nithya (daily), naimiththika (occasional) karmas
sangam palam chaiva thyakthvA – giving up the attachment of thinking “this is my karma” and the result of the karma
kAryam ithi Eva – thinking that performing the karma itself is the purpose
yath kriyathE – if performed
sa thyAga: – such thyAgam (renunciation)
sAthvika: matha: – is said to be caused by sathva guNam (quality of goodness).
Simple Translation
Oh arjuna! If nithya (daily), naimiththika (occasional) karmas are performed thinking that performing the karma itself is the purpose, giving up the attachment of thinking “this is my karma” and the result of the karma, such thyAgam (renunciation) is said to be caused by sathva guNam (quality of goodness).
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘That is deemed Sātvika-Renunciation, where work is done as duty incumbent, but attachment resigned, as also fruit.’
One must understand that all works such as the nitya, naimittika etc., Mahāyajñas, prescribed as duties devolving on the several Varṇas and Āśramas are but modes of My worship, being in themselves the end. If he performs thus, forsaking attachment i.e., destitute of the idea of ‘my-ness’ placed in the work —and also forsaking fruit, this is called (true) Renunciation, viz., Sātvika, or renunciation having its source in Satvam, or that which is the source of producing true Śāstra-knowledge.
That Satvam is originative of correct knowledge of things was already stated in: ‘From Satvam springs forth wisdom’ (Gi: XIV-17); and further on too it is declared:
‘That intellect, Pārtha! is Sātvika which discerns between action and inaction, duty and non-duty, fear and non-fear, bondage and release.’ (Gi: XVIII-30).
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