This verse from the Bhagavad Gita will solve all your troubles!

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Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana

Wishing You Happy Janmashtami ... This verse is from the Bhagawad Gita, where Arjuna was not willing to fight the Epic war of Mahabhaarat and Krishna explains to him to perform his duties.

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कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty. - Bhagavad Gita, Chapter II, Verse 47

3/12

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

भावार्थ : तेरा कर्म करने में ही अधिकार है, उसके फलों में कभी नहीं। इसलिए तू कर्मों के फल हेतु मत हो तथा तेरी कर्म न करने में भी आसक्ति न हो॥47॥

4/12

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

कर्म करना तो तुम्हारा अधिकार है, लेकिन उसके फल पर कभी नहीं| कर्म को फल की इच्छा से कभी मत करो, तथा तेरा कर्म ना करने में भी कोई आसक्ति न हो|

5/12

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

Let’s see what does this mean: Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana - You have the right to perform your actions, but you are not entitled to the fruits of the actions. Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani – Do not let the fruit be the purpose of your actions, and therefore you won’t be attached to not doing your duty.

6/12

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

This message was from the Lord Krishna to Arjun during the Epic War of Mahabhaarat when Arjun was not willing to fight, given that he had opposite of him, all those persons he considers to be his own. Arjun says to Krishna, what’s the use of fighting against my own for just a piece of land. What happiness will I get by slaying my dear ones? The ones on the other sides are my own uncle, my cousin.

7/12

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

Then Krishna explains to him about his duties. The above verse, which is among the most famous verse in Mahabhaarat, is one of those explanation he has given. Let us study the context : In this case Krishna tells Arjun that no matter what is the result of the war, he should not be worried about it. His duty is to fight, then he has to fight. He wins or loses that is not important. Even if he dies during the war, he will attain heaven because he has correctly performed his duty.

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कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

Now coming to the second phrase of the above verse, Krishna also advises Arjun that he should never let the fruit be the purpose of his action, in this case the action is his fight and the fruit is either he wins or loses. In other words he is not supposed to worry about victory or defeat. Either one wins or loses, he must be neutral about it. In simple terms it means: Keep on performing your duties without being attached to the result of your actions.

9/12

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

Well let us relate that in our context as a human being:As an example: A student – His duty is to study, he passes or fails that’s not in his control. The student does not study just for the sake of passing his exams. When he studies, he learns. Whether he pases or fails he should not be too happy or too sad about it. If ever a student studies for the sole purpose of passing his exams, in the end he has not learned anything even if he has passed.

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कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

We can also relate this to selflessness: When we help someone, we don’t do it for the sake of something in return, whether we are rewarded for our actions or not, this is not our concern. And when we help someone without worrying about our own gains, this is selflessness. We don’t think what are we going to get from that. The importance is that as a human being we have been able to help someone.

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कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

Note: In Bhagavad Gita, As It Is, By Swami Prabhupada, the part Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhur means, never to consider ourselves to be the cause of the result of our activities.This is right too, because when we consider ourselves to be the cause of the result of our actions, we will be tempted to be attached to that result. So when we do something we are not supposed to take the credit for the fruit of our action. We consider that it is our duty, so we did it.