Verse 5.12

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 5.12:

युक्तः कर्म-फलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिम् आप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम् ।
अयुक्तः काम-कारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते ॥ १२ ॥

yuktaḥ karma-phalaṃ tyaktvā śāntim āpnoti naiṣṭhikīm |
ayuktaḥ kāma-kāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate || 12 ||

yuktaḥ–one linked up in niṣkāma-karma-yoga; karma-phalam–the fruit of work; tyaktvā–giving up; śāntim–peace (liberation from the struggle for existence); āpnoti–obtains; naiṣṭhikīm–perpetual; ayuktaḥ–one who is not so linked (the person who performs his prescribed duty with material desires, the sakāma-karmī); kāma-kāreṇa–because of the impetus of lust; phale–to the fruit of work; saktaḥ–being attached; nibadhyate–becomes entangled.

Having given up attachment to the fruits of his actions, the yogī who selflessly offers the results of his prescribed duty to the Supreme attains unadulterated peace in the form of liberation from material existence. The sakāma-karmī, however, who is attached to the fruits of his activities and impelled by material desires, becomes entangled.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

In the performance of karma, detachment causes liberation and attachment causes bondage. This verse beginning with the word yuktaḥ is spoken to clarify this. A jñānī who engages in selfless action gradually attains peace, or liberation. Ayuktaḥ refers to sakāma-karmīs, who are attached to the results of their actions because of their material desires. In this way they are bound to the material world.