4.20
Chapter 4, Verse 20
त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः। कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः৷৷
tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṅ nityatṛptō nirāśrayaḥ. karmaṇyabhipravṛttō.pi naiva kiñcitkarōti saḥ৷৷
Translation
Having surrendered all claim to the results of his actions, always contented and independent, in reality he does nothing, even though he is apparently acting.
Translation — Purohit Swami
Commentary
त्यक्त्वा having abandoned, कर्मफलासङ्गम् attachment to the fruits of action, नित्यतृप्तः even content, निराश्रयः depending on nothing, कर्मणि in action, अभिप्रवृत्तः engaged, अपि even, न not, एव verily, किञ्चित् anything, करोति does, सः he. Commentary: The same idea of inaction in action is repeated here to produce a deep impression on the minds of the aspirants. He who works for the wellbeing of the world and he who performs actions without egoism and attachment for the fruits, to set an example to the masses, really does nothing at all though he is ever engaged in activity, as he possesses the knowledge of the Self which is beyond all activity and as he has realised his identity with It.As Brahman the Absolute is selfcontained, all the desires are gratified if one realises the Self. He is ever satisfied and does not depend on anything, just as a man who has the favour of the king does not depend on the minister or the government official for anything. (Cf.IV.41)
Commentary — Swami Sivananda
Sanskrit and transliteration of the Bhagavad Gita. Corpus compiled from the vedabase and the IIT Kanpur Gita Supersite.