दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनञ्जय |
बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः ||२-४९||
dūreṇa hyavaraṃ karma buddhiyogāddhanañjaya . buddhau śaraṇamanviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ ||2-49||
2.49 Far lower than the Yoga of wisdon is action, O Arjuna. Seek thou refuge in wisdom; wretched are they whose motive is the fruit.
2.49 दूरेण by far? हि indeed? अवरम् inferior? कर्म action or work? बुद्धियोगात् than the Yoga of wisdom? धनञ्जय O Dhananjaya? बुद्धौ in wisdom? शरणम् refuge? अन्विच्छ seek? कृपणाः wretched? फलहेतवः seekers after fruits.Commentary Action done with evenness of mind is Yoga of wisdom. The yogi who is established in the Yoga of widdom is not affected by success or failure. He does not seek fruits of his actions. He has poised reason. His reason is rooted in the Self. Action performed by one who expe
Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.
2.49 Then again, O Dhananjaya, as against action performed with eanimity of mind for adoring God, karma, action undertaken by one longing for the results; is, hi, indeed; durena, ite, by far; avaram, inferior, very remote; buddhi-yogat, from the yoga of wisdom, from actions undertaken with eanimity of mind, because it (the former) is the cause of birth, death, etc. Since this is so, therefore, saranam anviccha, take resort to, seek shelter; buddhau, under wisdom, which relates to Yoga, or to the Conviction about Reality that arises from its (the former's) maturity and which is the cause of (achieving) fearlessness. The meaning is that you should resort to the knowledge of the supreme Goal, because those who under take inferior actions, phala-hetavah, who thirst for rewards, who are impelled by results; are krpanah, pitiable, according to the Sruti, 'He, O Gargi, who departs from this world without knowing this Immutable, is pitiable' (Br. 3.8.10). [See note under 2.7.-Tr.]
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2.49 O Dhananjaya, indeed, action is ite inferior to the yoga of wisdom. Take resort to wisdom. Those who thirst for rewards are pitiable.
This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.
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