Shloka · Bhagavad Gita 2.47
Bhagavad Gita 2.47 “Karmanye vadhikaraste”: meaning and explanation
The Gita’s most quoted verse, and perhaps its most practical: four short instructions on how to work hard without being ruled by anxiety.
Verses checked against the source texts · Drafted with AI help and reviewed before publishing · Last reviewed 2026-11-12 · How we write
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥
karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stv akarmaṇi
Bhagavad Gita 2.47
Meaning
You have a right to perform your actions, but never to their fruits. Don’t let the fruit of action be your motive — and don’t let that become a reason to stop acting.
हिंदी में अर्थ
तुम्हारा अधिकार केवल कर्म पर है, उसके फल पर कभी नहीं। इसलिए फल को कर्म का कारण मत बनाओ, और कर्म न करने में भी आसक्ति मत रखो।
Four instructions in one verse
| The words | The instruction | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| karmaṇy evādhikāras te | Your right is to action | Put your energy into the effort itself |
| mā phaleṣu kadācana | Never to its results | Outcomes depend on many things beyond you |
| mā karma-phala-hetur bhūḥ | Don’t let results be your motive | Act from duty and care, not only for reward |
| mā te saṅgo ’stv akarmaṇi | Don’t cling to inaction | Detachment is never an excuse to stop |
Word by word
The context
Krishna speaks these words on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in chapter 2, after Arjuna has refused to fight. It is the first clear statement of karma yoga — the yoga of action — and the next verse completes it: be the same in success and failure, for that evenness is yoga (2.48).
What it doesn’t say
The verse is often misread as “don’t expect anything” or “results don’t matter”. Krishna isn’t asking for careless work. Plan well, aim high, care about the outcome. Just don’t hand the outcome the keys to your peace of mind — because it was never fully yours to control.
In your life
Carry it with you
- Write it down.Keep the first line, karmaṇy evādhikāras te, on a card at your desk.
- Before big moments.Read it slowly once before an exam, interview or presentation.
- After results.Whatever came, ask: did I do my part fully? That is the only question the verse asks.
Questions people ask
What is the meaning of “karmanye vadhikaraste”?
“Your right is to action alone” — the opening of Gita 2.47, which continues “never to its results”.
Does Gita 2.47 mean we should not expect results?
Not exactly. It means you shouldn’t make results your only motive or let them control your peace. You still plan and work for good outcomes.
Which chapter is “karmanye vadhikaraste” in?
Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita, Sāṅkhya Yoga, verse 47.