Far lower than the Yoga of wisdom is action, O Arjuna. Seek thou refuge in wisdom; wretched are they whose motive is the fruit.
In simple words
Krishna says: "Working only for results is a much lower way to live, Arjuna. Shelter yourself in this balanced wisdom instead. People who act only for outcomes are missing the whole point."
Word-by-word meanings
दूरेणby farहिindeedअवरम्inferiorकर्मaction or workबुद्धियोगात्than the Yoga of wisdomधनञ्जयO Dhananjayaबुद्धौin wisdomशरणम्refugeअन्विच्छseekकृपणाःwretchedफलहेतवःseekers after fruits
Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.
Swami Sivananda
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 expects fruits for his actions? is far inferior to the Yoga of wisdom wherein the seeker does not seek fruits because the former leads to bondage and is the cause of birth and death. (Cf.VIII.18).
Swami Chinmayananda
This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.
BG 2.49
Action performed with a tranquil mind, free from anxiety about the fruits of labour, is assuredly far superior to action performed with a troubled and agitated mind. In this verse, the term buddhi yoga has led some commentators to perceive yet another distinct yoga being taught in the Gita. However, in my own understanding, such an interpretation appears to be a forced and artificial reading. In the Upanishads, the decisive and resolute faculty of the inner instrument is called buddhi (intellect), while the faculty of imagination and desire is called manas (mind). When the mind is in a state of doubt and distraction, its movements are called manas; when the inner instrument is in a state of concentration, certainty, and peace, its movements are called buddhi. Therefore, buddhi yoga means to remain steadfastly established in the purpose determined by the intellect. Assuredly, the characteristics of buddhi yoga are the firmness of mind in obedience to the intellect's discipline, and mastery over both inner and outer circumstances. To fulfil one's duties without losing sight of life's supreme goal—this is buddhi yoga. In light of the Gita's general framework, wherein the dissolution of personality and the reconstruction of the self through the exhaustion of desires is discussed, buddhi yoga may be understood as the seeker's continuous effort to live according to the intellect in life, the endeavour to bring the mind under the discipline of the intellect and to act according to its guidance. Thus, through the destruction of desires accumulated from past actions, the ego is annihilated; and the annihilation of ego means establishment in buddhi yoga. Therefore, Arjuna is here instructed to take refuge in the intellect.
There is a compelling reason for embracing buddhi yoga. If one continues to act according to the mind's inclinations alone, countless distractions arise in consciousness, and moreover, new desires accumulate continuously, their dense veil obscuring the true nature of the self. The Lord calls such people miserly. In truth, they alone are impoverished. In contrast, the seeker established in buddhi yoga, performing action with selfless devotion, destroys the veil of desires and, with a purified mind, directly experiences the true nature of the self.
Now know what fruit is obtained by one who fulfils duty while remaining in equanimity.