Bhagavad Gita · Bhakti YogaChapter 12, Shloka 11 (12.11)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान्
॥ 12.11 ॥
athaitadapyaśakto'si kartuṃ madyogamāśritaḥ
sarvakarmaphalatyāgaṃ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān
Translation
"If you are unable to do even this, then taking refuge in me and keeping your mind restrained, give up the fruits of all actions."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. mayi kriyamāṇāni karmāṇi saṃnyasya yat karaṇaṃ teṣām anuṣṭhānaṃ saḥ madyogaḥ; sarveṣāṃ karmaṇāṃ phalasaṃnyāsaṃ … kuru yatātmavān saṃyatacittaḥ san.
Acharya Ramanuja — a different reading. madyogam āśritya etad api kartuṃ na śaknoṣi — "madyoga" = bhakti-yoga formed by contemplating my qualities; if you cannot do even my works as a part of bhakti-yoga, tataḥ akṣarayogam ātmasvabhāvānusaṃdhānarūpaṃ parabhaktijananaṃ pūrvaṣaṭkoditam āśritya — then take refuge in the akshara-yoga (contemplation of the nature of the self) taught in the first six chapters, and give up the fruits as its means; the sequence: from giving up the fruits comes knowledge of the self → realisation of the self → mayi parā bhaktiḥ svayam eva utpadyate — supreme devotion arises of itself (18.46, 18.53–18.54).
Shridhar Swami. A simple formula for giving up the fruits: mayā tāvad īśvarājñayā yathāśakti karmāṇi kartavyāni, phalaṃ punar dṛṣṭam adṛṣṭaṃ vā parameśvarādhīnam ity evaṃ mayi bhāram āropya — "My job is to act as well as I can; the fruit — seen or unseen — is in the Lord's hands" — placing the burden on me in this way.
Madhusudana Saraswati. He gives the reason: bahirviṣayākṛṣṭacetastvād — when the mind is pulled towards outer objects; then yatātmavān … vivekī ca san — give up the fruits with self-restraint and discernment.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.