Author: Krishnan

Bhagvad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 47

Action alone is in your control
Not the results ever
Let not the fruit of action be your motive
Nor should you keep company of inaction

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KARMANYEVA ADHIKAARASTE
Action alone is in your control

कर्मण्य/Karmanya = In the work
एव/Eva = Only
अधिकार/Adhikar = Right / Control
ते/Te = Your

MAA PHALESHU KADAACHANA
Not the results ever

मा/Ma = No/Not
फलेषु/Phaleshu = In the fruit/result (the root word is “फल”/”Phal” here, means, “fruit of work”)
कदाचन/Kadachana = Ever

MAA KARMA PHALA HETUR BHUR:
Let not your motive be the fruit of action

मा/Ma = No/Not
कर्मफल/Karmaphala = Two words, Karma+Phala, कर्म/Karma = work and फल/phala = result or fruit of the work.
हेतु /हेतु = Here it means “motive” (the word “hetu” may mean “reason” too)
भु /bhu = be

MAA TE SANGOSTVAKARMANI:
Nor should you keep company of inaction

मा/Ma = No/Not
ते/Te = Your
संग /Sang =attachment (this word may mean “companion too”, like “satsang”)
अस्तु /Astu = Let there be
अकर्मणि /Akarmani = In action

———–

Example:

The duty of a student is to study. The result of studies could be obtaining good marks. But a student must not study just for the sake of passing his exams. When he studies, he learns. Whether he passes or fails he should not be too happy or too sad about it.

If ever a student studies for the sole purpose of passing his exams, in the end he has not learned anything even if he has passed. But if he studies because he considers learning and studying as his duty, he won’t even need to be worried whether he will pass or fail. And such a student as we have always seen they are most likely to pass their exams, unless they are not able to appear for it for some reason. But still he should not be sad about it. Why? Because the most important is at least he performed his duty well.

Similarly :

When we help someone, we should not do it for the sake of something we will get in return. If we are concerned about the reward for our action, then it not a charitable action at all. And when we help someone without worrying about our own gains, this is selflessness. What is important is for us to realize that as a human being we have been able to help someone.

A beautiful story about the Quran

An old American Muslim lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson.

Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Quran. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, “Grandpa! I try to read the Quran just like you but I don’t understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Qur’an do?” The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough,” and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house.

The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, “See Grandpa, it’s useless!” “So you think it is useless?” The old man said, “Look at the basket.”

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

“Son, that’s what happens when you read the Qur’an. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Allah in our lives.”

Muslims would encourage everyone to share this story, for Prophet Muhammad had said : “The one who guides to good would be rewarded equally”.