Chapter 2, Verse 50 (Bhagavad Gita 2.50)
Chapter 2: Sānkhya Yog – Transcendental Knowledge
Sanskrit Shloka
बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते। तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम्
Transliteration
buddhi-yukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛita-duṣhkṛite tasmād yogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśhalam
Word Meanings
buddhi-yuktaḥ—endowed with wisdom; jahāti—get rid of; iha—in this life; ubhe—both; sukṛita-duṣhkṛite—good and bad deeds; tasmāt—therefore; yogāya—for Yog; yujyasva—strive for; yogaḥ—yog is; karmasu kauśhalam—the art of working skillfully
Translation
Endowed with wisdom, one casts off both good and evil deeds in this very life. Therefore, devote yourself to Yoga; Yoga is skill in action.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse reveals the secret of transcending the duality of karma. By maintaining an equanimous mind, the seeker stops identifying with the results of actions, thereby preventing the accumulation of merit or sin that binds the soul to samsara. Yoga is not merely meditation but the art of performing duties with perfect presence and detachment, ensuring the mind remains untainted. This skill transforms mundane work into a spiritual offering, liberating the individual from the anxieties of success and failure. Ultimately, it teaches that the quality of our inner state determines the spiritual impact of our external deeds.