Verse 4.21

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 4.21:

निराशीर् यत-चित्तात्मा त्यक्त-सर्व-परिग्रहः ।
शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन् नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥ २१ ॥

nirāśīr yata-cittātmā tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ |
śārīraṃ kevalaṃ karma kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam || 21 ||

nirāśīḥ–who does not hanker; yata–is controlled; citta–whose mind; ātmā–the soul; tyakta–who has abandoned; sarva-parigrahaḥ–all ingredients for sense pleasure; śārīram–for bodily maintenance; kevalam–solely; karma–his work; kurvan–so doing; na āpnoti–does not acquire; kilbiṣam–sinful reaction.

A person who can control his mind and senses, who is devoid of fruitive desires, who renounces all varieties of sense pleasure and who works only for bodily maintenance, does not become affected by sinful reactions.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

Here the word ātmā refers to the gross body. Śārīram refers to performing acts such as accepting donations from dishonest persons to maintain the body. Such people do not incur sin even if they act like this. This further describes the phrase of the Gītā (4.17) “vikarmaṇaḥ boddhavyam–one should understand the fundamental principles of forbidden action (vikarma).”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

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

Nirāśīḥ means ‘those who are devoid of fruitive desires’. Although such people may accept charity from dishonest persons to maintain their body, still they do not incur sin; nor do they incur piety by accepting charity through the proper means. This is because they control the mind and gross body and are free from any effort to accumulate objects meant for sense enjoyment.