- Verse 1 of 5Bhagavad Gita 2.47 →
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo 'stv akarmaṇi
You have a right to action alone, never to its fruits. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.
तेरा अधिकार केवल कर्म करने में है, उसके फलों में कभी नहीं। कर्म के फल का हेतु मत बन, और न ही अकर्म में तेरी आसक्ति हो।
- Verse 2 of 5Bhagavad Gita 3.19 →
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर।
tasmād asaktaḥ satataṁ kāryaṁ karma samāchara asakto hyācharan karma param āpnoti pūruṣhaḥ
Therefore, without attachment, always perform the actions that should be done; for by performing actions without attachment, one reaches the Supreme.
इसलिये तू निरन्तर आसक्तिरहित होकर कर्तव्य-कर्मका भलीभाँति आचरण कर; क्योंकि आसक्तिरहित होकर कर्म करता हुआ मनुष्य परमात्माको प्राप्त हो जाता है।
- Verse 3 of 5Bhagavad Gita 5.11 →
कायेन मनसा बुद्ध्या केवलैरिन्द्रियैरपि।
kāyena manasā buddhyā kevalair indriyair api yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṁ tyaktvātma-śhuddhaye
Yogis, having abandoned attachment, perform actions only through the body, mind, intellect, and even the senses, for the purification of the self.
कर्मयोगी आसक्तिका त्याग करके केवल (ममतारहित) इन्द्रियाँ-शरीर-मन-बुद्धि के द्वारा केवल अन्तःकरणकी शुद्धिके लिये ही कर्म करते हैं।
- Verse 4 of 5Bhagavad Gita 18.6 →
एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च।कर्तव्यानीति मे पार्थ निश्िचतं मतमुत्तमम्॥
etāny api tu karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā phalāni cha kartavyānīti me pārtha niśhchitaṁ matam uttamam
But even these actions should be performed, leaving aside attachment and the desire for rewards, O Arjuna; this is my certain and most assured conviction.
हे पार्थ ! (पूर्वोक्त यज्ञ, दान और तप -- ) इन कर्मोंको तथा दूसरे भी कर्मोंको आसक्ति और फलोंका त्याग करके करना चाहिये -- यह मेरा निश्चित किया हुआ उत्तम मत है।
- Verse 5 of 5Bhagavad Gita 2.48 →
योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय ।
yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjaya siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṁ yoga ucyate
Perform your duty established in yoga, O Dhananjaya, abandoning attachment and remaining even-minded in success and failure. Such equanimity of mind is called yoga.
हे धनंजय! आसक्ति त्यागकर तथा सफलता और असफलता में समान रहकर योग में स्थित होकर कर्म कर। यह समत्व ही योग कहलाता है।
✦ Frequently Asked Questions ✦
What does the Bhagavad Gita say about karma yoga (action without expectation)?
Karma Yoga is the Gita's gift to the working world: do your duty perfectly, offer the fruits to God, remain detached from outcomes. The path to liberation through action. Key shlokas: 2.47, 3.19, 5.11, 18.6, 2.48.
Which Bhagavad Gita verses are about karma yoga (action without expectation)?
The Bhagavad Gita addresses karma yoga (action without expectation) in shlokas 2.47, 3.19, 5.11, 18.6, 2.48. Read each with Sanskrit, transliteration, word-by-word meaning and English & Hindi translation on AskGita.