Chapter 5: Karma Sanyasa Yoga, verse 10
ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः।
लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा ॥
Say itbrahmaṇyādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ
lipyate na sa pāpena padma-patram ivāmbhasā
Translation
He who does actions, offering them to Brahman and abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not tainted by water.
Swami Sivananda
One who acts by dedicating their actions to Brahman and by renouncing attachment, they do not become polluted by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not by water.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
He who acts without attachment, reposing all actions on Brahman (Prakṛti), is untouched by evil, just as a lotus leaf is untouched by water.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
Who performs actions by offering them to the Brahman and giving up attachment—they are not stained by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not stained by water.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
He who dedicates his actions to the Spirit, without any personal attachment to them, is no more tainted by sin than the water lily is wetted by water.
Shri Purohit Swami
जो (भक्तियोगी) सम्पूर्ण कर्मोंको भगवान् में अर्पण करके और आसक्तिका त्याग करके कर्म करता है, वह जलसे कमलके पत्तेकी तरह पापसे लिप्त नहीं होता।
Swami Ramsukhdas
जो पुरुष सब कर्म ब्रह्म में अर्पण करके और आसक्ति को त्यागकर करता है, वह पुरुष कमल के पत्ते के सदृश पाप से लिप्त नहीं होता।
Swami Tejomayananda
Classical commentariesFor deeper study. Most are in the original Sanskrit.
Advaita
Non-dual: the self and the absolute are one.
Vishishtadvaita
Qualified non-dual: souls are real parts of the divine.
Dvaita
Dual: the soul and God are eternally distinct.
Shuddhadvaita
Pure non-dual, centred on grace and devotion.
Kashmir Shaivism
The Gita read through Trika Shaiva philosophy.
Modern teachers
20th-century teachers writing for today's readers.