yuktaḥ karma-phalaṁ tyaktvā śāntim āpnoti naiṣṭhikīm ayuktaḥ kāma-kāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate
"The disciplined one, abandoning the fruit of action, attains lasting peace. The undisciplined one, attached to fruit, driven by desire, is bound."
What This Means:
The disciplined yogi gives up attachment to results and attains permanent peace. The undisciplined person, driven by desire and clinging to outcomes, gets bound by karma. Same actions, different inner states, opposite results.
Going Deeper:
'Naishthiki shanti' (lasting/final peace) comes from 'karma-phalam tyaktva' (abandoning fruit of action). This isn't temporary relief but permanent establishment in peace. 'Ayukta' (undisciplined), driven by 'kama-karena' (actions of desire), 'phale sakta' (attached to fruit), 'nibadhyate' (is bound). The binding agent isn't action itself but desire and attachment.
How To Apply This:
After every action, notice: Am I anxiously checking for results? Am I mentally replaying what I did? That's attachment creating bondage. Practice releasing: do the action, then mentally put it down. The peace you seek comes not from good results but from releasing attachment to all results.
Key Sanskrit Terms: