Bhagavad Gita 2.49

[Paramananda das]

TEXT 49

durena hy avaram karma buddhi-yogad dhananjaya
buddhau saranam anviccha krpanah phala-hetavah

SYNONYMS

durena--by discarding it at a long distance; hi--certainly; avaram--abominable; karma--activities; buddhi-yogat--on the strength of Krsna consciousness; dhananjaya--O conqueror of wealth; buddhau--in such consciousness; saranam--full surrender; anviccha--desire; krpanah--the misers; phala-hetavah--those desiring fruitive action.

TRANSLATION

O Dhananjaya, rid yourself of all fruitive activities by devotional service, and surrender fully to that consciousness. Those who want to enjoy the fruits of their work are misers.

PURPORT

One who has actually come to understand one's constitutional position as the eternal servitor of the Lord gives up all engagements save working in Krsna consciousness. As already explained, buddhi-yoga means transcendental loving service to the Lord. Such devotional service is the right course of action for the living entity. Only misers desire to enjoy the fruit of their own work just to be further entangled in material bondage. Except for work in Krsna consciousness, all activities are abominable because they continually bind the worker to the cycle of birth and death. One should therefore never desire to be the cause of work. Everything should be done in Krsna consciousness, for the satisfaction of Krsna. Misers do not know how to utilize the assets of riches which they acquire by good fortune or by hard labor. One should spend all energies working in Krsna consciousness, and that will make one's life successful. Like the misers, unfortunate persons do not employ their human energy in the service of the Lord.

Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur

Krishna here criticizes karma done with material desires. The actions done with material desire (avaram karma) are far inferior to niskama karma yoga offered to the Supreme Lord (buddhi yogat). Take shelter of niskama karma yoga (buddhau). In this verse buddhi yoga refers to niskama karma yoga rather than bhakti yoga.

 

Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya: Visnuswami Sridhara Swami's Commentary Actions initiated by desire for rewards are debased and abominable. Actions performed in spiritual intelligence by the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the Ultimate Consciousness are far superior. Therefore perform actions in spiritual intelligence and take complete shelter of the Supreme Lord. But those who are impelled and motivated by desire have only misery and wretchedness. For the Brihad- aranyaka Upanisad 3.8.10 states: Whoever departs from this Earth having no knowledge of the Supreme Lord is in a miserable condition.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya: Madhvacarya Madhvacarya's Commentary In the verse Lord Krishna prescribes to endeavour for equanimity revealing that the path is by yoga and by wisdom. Avaram means abominable and durena means to discard; so discarding all fruitive activities one should adhere to spiritual intelligence and remain steadfast in wisdom. One whose only objective is based on fruitive desires wishes to enjoy the rewards of their actions and is degraded. Now begins the summation. For all living entities the Supreme Lord is the only refuge. When this realisation finally dawns upon the intellect of a living entity whether they are ignorant, wise or liberated they surrender unto the Supreme Lord without reservation. Those who in delusion consider themselves the same as the Supreme Lord Krishna who is distinctly different due to His inconceivable potencies and transcendental attributes, descend to the hellish worlds of darkness without a doubt. They are doomed to eternal damnation in hellish conditions. In the Narada Purana it is stated: Those who see a separation in the Supreme Lord Krishna from His name, form, attributes, pastimes, incarnations and those who deride and seek to diminish the glory of the Supreme Lord Krishna's devotees sink to an existence in the hellish worlds of darkness.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya: Ramanuja There is no commentary for this verse.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya: Nimbaditya Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary One performing actions with the thought of receiving rewards gets the desired resultant. This appears positive but it is repeatedly denounced. Why? Because actions performed due to selfish motives are inferior to actions performed due to selfless motives. Selfless motives are balanced in equanimity. Equanimity possesses a determinate consciousness. Because of this reality one should seek the shelter of evenness of mind in equanimity. Arjuna had acquired so many riches before naturally following his duty so why should he try to avoid his duty worrying about success or failure. Those motivated to perform activities craving only to get a reward for their actions are inferior and wretched.

[Paramananda das]

http://www.prabhupadavani.org/main/Bhagavad-gita/GT103.html