2-40

नेह अभिक्रमनाशोस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते ।
स्वल्पम् अप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ॥ ४० ॥

neha abhikramanAzosti pratyavAyo na vidyate |
svalpam apyasya dharmasya trAyate mahato bhayAt || 40 ||

इह [iha] While working without attachment towards the outcome, अभिक्रम नाशः न अस्ति [abhikrama nAzaH na asti] something that has been started is not destroyed; प्रत्यवायः न विद्यते [pratyavAyaH na vidyate] incomplete initiatives don’t incur blame. स्वल्पम् अपि [svalpam api] Even a little अस्य धर्मस्य [asya dharmasya] of this conduct (of working without attachments) त्रायते [trAyate] will save you महतो भयात् [mahato bhayAt] from the great fears of this world.

The technique called कर्मयोग [karmayoga] is about working without attachment to outcomes. In such activity, there is no destruction for an initiative. ‘Destruction’ over here refers to the loss of belief that your action will achieve its desired result at the end.

Even if an action that has begun is terminated without being complete, it’s still not useless. In this termination, there is no element of blame either.

When outcomes don’t matter, we can’t do anything wrong.

The conduct of working without attachment is called [ karmayOga ]. Even a small amount of this conduct shall save you from great fear- the fear arising out of attachment to various things in this world.

This opinion has also been stated in one of the following Shlokas (6-40): ‘There is no destruction for this, either now or in the future’. On the other hand, actions that are attached to worldly, material goals do not yield fruit if abandoned in the middle. Moreover, abandoning such actions also incurs blame.

Some of our intentions engage our material desires with actions and achievements. On the other hand, there is the intention to achieve liberation, engaging us towards that goal.

In the next Shloka, Krishna explains that the intention to achieve liberation is superior to thoughts that go into satisfying other desires.