Verse 18.49

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 18.49:

असक्त-बुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगत-स्पृहः ।
नैष्कर्म्य-सिद्धिं परमां सन्न्यासेनाधिगच्छति ॥ ४९ ॥

asakta-buddhiḥ sarvatra jitātmā vigata-spṛhaḥ |
naiṣkarmya-siddhiṃ paramāṃ sannyāsenādhigacchati || 49 ||

asakta-buddhiḥ–one who is detached due to intelligent understanding (of the science of the soul); sarvatra–towards all material objects; jita-ātmā–whose mind is controlled; vigata-spṛhaḥ–free from hankering; naiṣkarmya–by action which does not generate reaction; siddhim–perfection; paramām–supreme; sannyāsena–through renouncing (the results of one’s prescribed duties); adhigacchati–attains.

One whose intelligence is not attached to anything material, whose mind is controlled, and who is free from all desires, even the desire to achieve the happiness of Brahma-loka, completely renounces prescribed duties. He attains supreme perfection in the form of reaction-free action.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

Action (karma) becomes defective when, due to false ego, a person considers himself to be the doer and desires the fruit of that activity. The first stage of sannyāsa is to give up this defective mentality and remain engaged in prescribed action. Gradually, however, when the sannyāsī’s practice matures and he becomes adept in yoga (yogārūḍha), he may renounce his prescribed duties completely. This is the second stage of sannyāsa and this is what is being referred to here. Asakta-buddhiḥ refers to one whose intelligence is free from attachment to all material objects. Jitātmā means ‘one whose mind is under control’ and vigata-spṛhaḥ means ‘one who does not even desire the happiness of Brahma-loka’. Such persons attain supreme perfection in the form of naiṣkarmya (freedom from prescribed duty and its reaction) by giving up all karma, prescribed duty, completely. When they become adept in yoga, their naiṣkarmya attains perfection in the highest sense.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

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

Here Śrī Bhagavān is ex-plaining how one can accept the positive aspect of one’s prescribed duty by giving up a defective mentality. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, “Those whose intelligence is completely free from attachment to anything material, whose minds are under control and who do not even desire the happiness of Brahma-loka, achieve supreme perfection in the form of freedom from prescribed duty and its reaction by completely renouncing their resolve to perform prescribed duties.”