The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
कर्मणिin actionएवonlyअधिकारःrightतेyourमाnotफलेषुin fruitsकदाचनat any timeमाnotकर्मफलहेतुःcause of the fruit of actionभूःbecomeमाnotतेyourसङ्गःattachmentअस्तुlet there beअकर्मणिin inaction
Read literallyin action · only · right · your · not · in fruits · at any time · not · cause of the fruit of action · become · not · your · attachment · let there be · in inaction
Understanding the verse
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Krishna gives Arjuna a right to the work and no claim on its fruits.
You control your action, not what it produces. Do your duty without chasing the reward or getting attached to doing nothing.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
Here Krishna draws the first hard line: act because the work is yours to do, without trying to own what comes after.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
A student walks out of the board exam replaying every answer, already tallying marks. The paper is done. Prepare well for the next one and leave the marks to arrive when they arrive.
The takeaway
“Give the work your full effort and let the result go.”
You control your action, not what it produces. Do your duty without chasing the reward or getting attached to doing nothing.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 2.47?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Sankhya Yoga" (The Yoga of Knowledge).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 2.47?
Verse 47 sits in Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita — Sankhya Yoga, "The Yoga of Knowledge". The chapter has 72 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 2.47 matter today?
A student walks out of the board exam replaying every answer, already tallying marks. The paper is done. Prepare well for the next one and leave the marks to arrive when they arrive.
Krishna gives Arjuna a right to the work and no claim on its fruits.
What this verse means
You control your action, not what it produces. Do your duty without chasing the reward or getting attached to doing nothing.
Context & commentary
Here Krishna draws the first hard line: act because the work is yours to do, without trying to own what comes after.
What it looks like today
A student walks out of the board exam replaying every answer, already tallying marks. The paper is done. Prepare well for the next one and leave the marks to arrive when they arrive.
“Give the work your full effort and let the result go.”
Explore related themes: karma yoga (55 verses), attachment (20 verses), nishkama (14 verses)