Chapter 4, Verse 12 (Bhagavad Gita 4.12)
Chapter 4: Jñāna Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action
Sanskrit Shloka
काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः। क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा
Transliteration
kāṅkṣhantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ kṣhipraṁ hi mānuṣhe loke siddhir bhavati karmajā
Word Meanings
kāṅkṣhantaḥ—desiring; karmaṇām—material activities; siddhim—success; yajante—worship; iha—in this world; devatāḥ—the celestial gods; kṣhipram—quickly; hi—certainly; mānuṣhe—in human society; loke—within this world; siddhiḥ—rewarding; bhavati—manifest; karma-jā—from material activities
Translation
Those who desire success in their undertakings here on earth sacrifice to the gods, for in this human world, results from action are quickly attained.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse reveals the pragmatic human tendency to seek immediate material gratification by propitiating external forces. It highlights the psychological reality that human life is the primary field of 'Karma,' where desires manifest rapidly into outcomes. Spiritually, Krishna points out that such seekers remain trapped in the cycle of cause and effect, focusing on temporary gains rather than eternal liberation. To transcend this, one must move from the pursuit of fruit-bearing actions to the practice of 'Nishkama Karma,' or selfless action offered to the Divine, which liberates the soul from the anxiety of results.