Verse 4.12

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 4.12:

काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः ।
क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर् भवति कर्मजा ॥ १२ ॥

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha devatāḥ |
kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣe loke siddhir bhavati karmajā || 12 ||

kāṅkṣantaḥ–those desiring; karmaṇām–of fruitive acts; siddhim–the fruit; yajante–worship; iha–in this world; devatāḥ–the demigods; kṣipram–speedily; hi–because; mānuṣe loke–in this world of men; siddhiḥ–fruitful; bhavati–becomes; karmajā–that arises from fruitive work.

Those who desire the fruits of their activities in this world worship the demigods, because the results of their fruitive work are quickly achieved.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

“Among those with whom I reciprocate, those desiring material enjoyment give up the path of direct devotion to Me and follow the path of karma, which quickly bears fruit.” To explain this point, Śrī Bhagavān speaks this verse beginning with the word kāṅkṣantaḥ. The word karmajā means ‘born of karma’ and refers to perfections such as the attainment of the heavenly planets.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Karma is of three types: (1) nitya–daily or prescribed, (2) naimittika–occasional and (3) kāmya–with fruitive desire. Actions prescribed in the Vedas, such as sandhya, or reciting prayers at the three junctions of the day, are obligatory, daily religious duties, or nitya-karma. Activities such as offering oblations to the forefathers are known as occasional duties, or naimittika-karma, and those actions performed with a desire for the fruits are called kāmya-karma, or sakāma.

Kāmya-karma is superior to both abstaining from prescribed duties (akarma) and performing prohibited, sinful action (vikarma):

kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante’nya-devatāḥ

Bhagavad-gītā (7.20)

People who desire the fruits of their actions give up the worship of Bhagavān Śrī Vāsudeva and worship the different demigods.

labhate ca tataḥ kāmān mayaiva vihitān hi tān

Bhagavad-gītā (7.22)

By the arrangements of Bhagavān, they receive their desired results from those demigods.

Those who, by the association of pure devotees, realize the insignificance of karma and its fruits, adopt the path of nirguṇā-bhakti. They quickly become successful and attain service to the Lord. According to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.21), this is because Śrī Bhagavān is achieved only by bhakti: bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.20) also says “na sādhayati māṃ yogaḥ–Bhagavān is not achieved by such processes as yoga or the performance of austerities.”