Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.
Swami Sivananda
2.48 योगस्थः steadfast in Yoga? कुरु perform? कर्माणि actions? सङ्गम् attachment? त्यक्त्वा having abandoned? धनञ्जय O Dhananjaya? सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः in success and failure? समः the smae? भूत्वा having become? समत्वम् evenness of mind? योगः Yoga? उच्यते is called.Commentary Dwelling in union with the Divine perform actions merely for Gods sake with a balanced mind in success and failure. Eilibrium is Yoga. The attainment of the knowledge of the Self through purity of heart obtained by doing actions without expectation of fruits is success (Siddhi). Failure is the nonattainment of knowledge by doing actions with expectation of fruit. (Cf.III.9IV.14IV.20).
Swami Chinmayananda
# BG 2.48 — Commentary Translation
Here, karma yoga is expounded in detail. By reflecting upon the meaning of this verse, it becomes clear that without the complete cessation of ego, success cannot be attained on this path. The remedy for this cessation is equanimity of mind. In this verse, the word "yoga" is employed for the first time, and here too its definition is given: equanimity is called yoga. Only when firmly established in this yoga can actions be performed without attachment to results.
For the karma yogi, it is not sufficient merely to act with equanimity; rather, while dwelling in this ever-changing world, one must make continuous effort to strengthen this equanimity. The means for this is the renunciation of attachment to the immediate fruits of action.
We shall examine the attachment that is spoken of here as needing to be renounced in order to perform actions skillfully. In the verses preceding this, Sri Krishna spoke of various attachments to be abandoned—all of which are indicated by the word "attachment": false convictions, hollow hopes, daydreams, anxieties about the fruits of action, and fears of calamities that may befall in the future. All these must be relinquished. Upon seeing this list of qualities to be abandoned, any sincere seeker engaged in spiritual practice might find it impossible to accomplish. Yet by keeping in mind the principles of the Upanishads and reflecting further, we can easily unravel this knot.
All the distressing convictions and entanglements mentioned above arise from delusion-born ego. What is this ego? It is a bundle of memories from the past and hopes for the future. Thus, an ego-centered life means dwelling in the crematorium of dead moments or in the womb of time, where the yet-unborn future resides. While occupied with these, we lose the present moment, which alone is available to us for action and the attainment of our goal. This is a foolish squandering of the wealth of opportunity that the present offers—to which Vyasa alludes in these words: "Renouncing attachment and established in equanimity yoga, perform your actions."
To burn away all concerns of past and future, fear and hope, in the fire of the present moment, and then to act—this is the mark of vitality and inspiration. In this way, in the forgetting of ego and in the performance of action itself lies complete joy. The fruit of such action is always great.
The artist absorbed in the joy of creation while fashioning a work of art is proof of this truth. Yet one need not be a great artist to understand this. In life, when we are engaged in any task with complete dedication and enthusiasm, if someone were to approach and stand before us, we would not even notice them. It takes us some time to descend from that level of joy down to the plane of ego in order to respond to the visitor.
Actions performed in forgetfulness of ego carry no concern for the doer regarding praise or blame—for concern with results means concern with the future, and dwelling in the future means losing the present. The joy of a vibrant life is contained in each moment of the present. It is said that the joy of each moment is complete in itself. Thus, Lord Sri Krishna instructs Arjuna to perform actions while remaining equanimous in all circumstances of life.
Regarding actions performed while established in yoga, in contrast to other actions, the Lord speaks thus:
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.