Bhagavad Gita BG 4.14
Chapter 4, Verse 14 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा । इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥
na mam karmani limpanti na me karma-phale spriha iti mam yo 'bhijanati karmabhir na sa badhyate
Meaning
Actions do not taint Me; I have no longing for the fruits of actions. One who knows Me thus is not bound by actions.
Understanding
Two reasons actions don't bind Krishna: na karmani limpanti (actions do not stain/taint Him — no ego-identification with the actor) and na karma-phale spriha (no longing/craving for results). These are also the two conditions for the karma yogi. And the liberating implication: yo mam abhijanati (one who knows Me in this way — recognizes this pattern) karmabhir na sa badhyate (is not bound by their own actions). Understanding the divine model liberates the understanding person.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| लिम्पन्ति | limpanti | taint, stain, stick to |
| स्पृहा | spriha | longing, craving, desire |
| अभिजानाति | abhijanati | knows, recognizes truly |
| बध्यते | badhyate | is bound, fettered, tied |
| न | na | not (actions do not taint Me) |
| माम् | māṃ | Me (actions do not taint Me) |
| कर्माणि | karmāṇi | actions / works |
| न मे | na me | there is no / I have no |
| कर्मफले | karma-phale | in the fruits of action / in results |
| स्पृहा | spṛhā | desire / longing / craving |
| इति | iti | thus (knowing this truth about Me) |
| यः | yaḥ | he who / one who |
| सः | saḥ | he (that knower) |