Chapter 4, Verse 14 (Bhagavad Gita 4.14)
Chapter 4: Jñāna Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action
Sanskrit Shloka
न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा। इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते
Transliteration
na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛihā iti māṁ yo ’bhijānāti karmabhir na sa badhyate
Word Meanings
na—not; mām—me; karmāṇi—activities; limpanti—taint; na—nor; me—my; karma-phale—the fruits of action; spṛihā—desire; iti—thus; mām—me; yaḥ—who; abhijānāti—knows; karmabhiḥ—result of action; na—never; saḥ—that person; badhyate—is bound
Translation
Actions do not taint Me, nor do I have any desire for the results of actions. One who recognizes Me in this light is never bound by the reactions of their deeds.
Meaning & Commentary
This sloka teaches the profound secret of 'Nishkama Karma,' or action performed without attachment to results. When we act with the awareness that we are instruments of the Divine rather than the ultimate 'doers,' the ego’s heavy burden of expectation and anxiety dissolves. By transcending the need for fruits, one remains centered in the stillness of the Self, untouched by the inevitable dualities of success and failure. This inner shift allows a person to participate fully in life's responsibilities while maintaining complete spiritual freedom. Ultimately, it reveals that liberation is not found by abandoning action, but by transforming our consciousness toward it.