Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingत्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः।
कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः
tyaktvā karma-phalāsaṅgaṁ nitya-tṛipto nirāśhrayaḥ
karmaṇyabhipravṛitto ’pi naiva kiñchit karoti saḥ
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaHaving given up attachment to the results of action, he who is ever-content, dependent on nothing, does not really do anything even though he is engaged in action.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
जो पुरुष, कर्मफलासक्ति को त्यागकर, नित्यतृप्त और सब आश्रयों से रहित है वह कर्म में प्रवृत्त होते हुए भी (वास्तव में) कुछ भी नहीं करता है।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiत्यक् त्वा कर्म फला सङ्गम्
नित्य तृप्तो निराश्र यः
कर्मण् यभिप् रवृत्तो ऽ पि
नैव किञ्चित् करोति सः
॥ २० ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthatyaktvāhaving given up
karma-phala-āsaṅgamattachment to the fruits of action
nityaalways
tṛiptaḥsatisfied
nirāśhrayaḥwithout dependence
karmaṇiin activities
abhipravṛittaḥengaged
apidespite
nanot
evacertainly
kiñchitanything
karotido
saḥthat person
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA4.20Does the ever-content sage, dependent on nothing, really 'do' anything at all?
Having given up attachment to the results of action, he who is ever-content, dependent on nothing, does not really do anything even though he is engaged in action.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.