SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
dhUreNa hyavaram karma budhdhi yogAdh dhananjaya |
budhdhau Saranam anvichcha krupaNA: phalahEthava: ||
word-by-word meaning
dhananjaya – Oh arjuna!
budhdhi yOgAth – karma (action) with intelligence
karma – (kAmya) karma aimed at worldly results (without such intelligence)
dhUrENa avaram hi – isn’t it much inferior?
(thus) budhdhau – In (aforementioned) budhdhi (intelligence)
SaraNam anvichcha – take shelter;
phalahEthava: – those who are attached to worldly desires
krupaNA: – are samsAris (bound souls)
Simple Translation
Oh arjuna! Isn’t (kAmya) karma aimed at worldly results (without such intelligence) much inferior in comparison to karma (action) with intelligence? Thus, you take shelter In (aforementioned) budhdhi (intelligence). Those who are attached to worldly desires are samsAris (bound souls).
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘Fruit-breeding works, Dhanañjaya [2. An epithet for Arjuna, lit: ‘the despiser of wealth’.]! are verily far inferior to wisdom-yoga. Seek refuge in wisdom. Poor are the fruit-seeking [3. Cf. Br:Up:V-8-10 …].’
Verily far inferior is work (done with self-interest), than work which is performed without regard to fruit, and which does not destroy the balance of mind under gain or no gain (of fruit). (This is wisdom-yoga, or work done without expectations and keeping the mind steady under all circumstances). The one kind of work which is done with the wise understanding mentioned, viz., buddhi-yoga or wisdom-yoga (or philosophy of work), removes all samsāra [4. Lit: that which ‘runs or courses’; means the circuit or circle of wordly existence, mundane life, material existence, matter-tied or matter-consorting existence, conditioned secular career, or matter-soul existence, coursing through a transmigratory revolution of births and deaths alternating. In Indian terms, Purusha consorting with Prakriti (or spirit-matter combination).]-suffering, and conducts (the worker) to moksha, -the highest spiritual acme of man’s ambition. The other kind of work (done with longing for fruit) breeds samsāra [5. Lit: that which ‘runs or courses’; means the circuit or circle of wordly existence, mundane life, material existence, matter-tied or matter-consorting existence, conditioned secular career, or matter-soul existence, coursing through a transmigratory revolution of births and deaths alternating. In Indian terms, Purusha consorting with Prakriti (or spirit-matter combination).], the nature of which is extreme affliction.
Hence, during actual performance of work, seek shelter under wisdom, with mind in equipoise (under every circumstance).
Phala-hetavaḥ are those whose motive to act is reward. But such men are kṛipaṇāh: poor or pitiable, inasmuch as they go into samsāra [6. Lit: that which ‘runs or courses’; means the circuit or circle of wordly existence, mundane life, material existence, matter-tied or matter-consorting existence, conditioned secular career, or matter-soul existence, coursing through a transmigratory revolution of births and deaths alternating. In Indian terms, Purusha consorting with Prakriti (or spirit-matter combination).]. (What makes them poor is the non-gain of moksha, which is eternal wealth.)
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