न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा। इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते।।4.14।।
na māṁ karmāṇi lim̤panti na me karma‑phale spṛhā | iti māṁ yo ’bhijānāti karmabhiḥ na sa badhyate || 4.14 ||
Translation
Activities do not affect Me, nor do I desire the fruits of action. Thus, one who knows Me in this way is never bound by the reactions of work.
Word Meanings
na — never; mām — Me; karmāṇi — all kinds of work; limpanti — do affect; na — nor; me — My; karma‑phale — in fruitive action; spṛhā — aspiration; iti — thus; mām — Me; yaḥ — one who; abhijānāti — does know; karmabhiḥ — by the reaction of such work; na — never; saḥ — he; badhyate — becomes entangled.
Understanding the Verse
This verse emphasizes the transcendental nature of the Divine in relation to karma. While the Lord is the ultimate cause of all activities (karmāṇi), He remains untouched by the results (limpanti) of those actions. The denial of any personal desire (na me karma‑phale spṛhā) for the fruits underscores His complete detachment, illustrating that the Supreme does not operate with personal gain or loss, unlike ordinary beings who are driven by desire for results.
Krishna further explains that a person who truly comprehends this truth—'iti māṁ yo ’bhijānāti'—understands the Lord’s impersonality regarding action. Such knowledge dissolves the ego’s attachment to outcomes, allowing the seeker to act without the bondage that typically follows. When one internalizes that the Divine does not crave the fruit of any deed, the performer can offer actions as a selfless offering (yajña) to the Supreme, freeing himself from karmic entanglement.
The phrase 'karmabhiḥ na sa badhyate' conveys that the liberated individual is not bound by the consequences of his deeds. This is not a denial of the law of cause and effect, but a transformation of the relationship to that law. By aligning one’s will with the Divine will, the individual’s actions become instruments of the higher purpose, and the ordinary chain of merit‑demerit dissolves. The result is a state of freedom (mokṣa) where the soul moves beyond the cyclical pattern of birth and death.
From a practical standpoint, the verse teaches the importance of developing ‘karma‑yoga’—the yoga of selfless action. When a practitioner detaches from the desire for specific outcomes and offers all work to the Lord, the mental turbulence caused by success or failure subsides. This mental steadiness is essential for spiritual progress, as it cultivates equanimity (samatva) and reduces the accumulation of new karmic impressions.
In the broader context of Chapter 4, which deals with the divine knowledge of the ancient sages and the timeless nature of the soul, verse 14 serves as a bridge between theory and practice. It reminds the seeker that knowledge (jnana) must be accompanied by appropriate action (karma) performed with the right attitude. Only then does one truly embody the teachings of the Gita, transcending the illusion of personal ownership of deeds and their results.
