Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingनिराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः।
शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम्
nirāśhīr yata-chittātmā tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ
śhārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣham
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaOne who is without solicitation, who has the mind and senses under control, and is totally without possessions, incurs no sin by performing actions merely for the maintenance of the body.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
जो आशा रहित है तथा जिसने चित्त और आत्मा (शरीर) को संयमित किया है, जिसने सब परिग्रहों का त्याग किया है, ऐसा पुरुष शारीरिक कर्म करते हुए भी पाप को नहीं प्राप्त होता है।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiनिराशीर् यत चित्तात् मा
त्यक्त सर्व परिग् रहः
शारी रङ् केव लङ् कर्म
कुर्वन् नाप् नोति किल्बिषम्
॥ २१ ॥
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
padārthanirāśhīḥfree from expectations
yatacontrolled
chitta-ātmāmind and intellect
tyaktahaving abandoned
sarvaall
parigrahaḥthe sense of ownership
śhārīrambodily
kevalamonly
karmaactions
kurvanperforming
nanever
āpnotiincurs
kilbiṣhamsin
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA4.21What does the desireless, controlled man incur by merely bodily action?
One who is without solicitation, who has the mind and senses under control, and is totally without possessions, incurs no sin by performing actions merely for the maintenance of the body.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.