कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर् मा ते संगोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥
[Karmaṇy-evādhikāras-te mā phalesu kadācana
(You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action
Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.)
- Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gītā, Chapter II, Verse 47
Many of us have the tendency to perform our duties with some expectations. Failure to achieve the expectations results in frustration. This frustration can make us forget our duties, and concentrate on what we think is our right, preventing us from putting in our best to our duties, leading to subsequent failure to meet our expectations, as our mind is in turmoil. Once a person is caught in such a vicious cycle of expectations and failure, he has a tendency to get into Adharma, or sin, thus distancing himself from God.
When an old man sows a mango seed, his descendants will be able to relish the mangoes. But if he is obstructed by the thought that he cannot enjoy the fruit of the seed that he plants, nobody will be able to attain any fruits.Dharma or righteousness is not in doing penance and austerities. It is not in giving charity. It lies in doing one's duties with honesty, integrity and sincerity, without any expectations. When we attend to our duties without any expectations, we are able to keep our mind tranquil. We can relish the fruits thereof if we attain it. In case of failure, there is no disappointment, since there was no expectation in the first place.
