I feel anxious about results

1. कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥2.47॥

   karmaṇyevādhikāraste mā phaleṣu kadācanamā karmaphalaheturbhūrmā te saṅgo'stvakarmaṇi

   Krishna tells Arjuna: your right is only to your action, never to its results. Do not let the result be your motive, and do not become attached to doing nothing.

   Try this today

   Choose one task today and give it your full effort while consciously dropping the thought of praise, marks or reward. Just do it well.

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2. योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय।सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते ॥2.48॥

   yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā dhanañjayasiddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṃ yoga ucyate

   Krishna says: established in yoga, Arjuna, do your work giving up attachment, staying even-minded in success and failure. This evenness of mind is called yoga.

   Try this today

   After finishing a task today, whatever the outcome, take one calm breath and say "done". Then move to the next without replaying it.

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3. बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते।तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् ॥2.50॥

   buddhiyukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛtaduṣkṛtetasmādyogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam

   Krishna says: one who acts with balanced understanding lets go of both good and bad results even here in this life. So commit yourself to yoga; yoga is skill in action.

   Try this today

   Pick one routine chore today, washing dishes, replying to mail, and do it with complete care and attention, as if it were your craft.

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4. सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ।ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥2.38॥

   sukhaduḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayautato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṃ pāpamavāpsyasi

   Krishna says: treat pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat as equal, and then get ready for battle. Acting this way, you will not incur wrongdoing.

   Try this today

   Before an exam, meeting or match today, say to yourself: "Win or lose, I will give my honest best." Then focus only on doing it well.

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5. युक्तः कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा शान्तिमाप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम्।अयुक्तः कामकारेण फले सक्तो निबध्यते ॥5.12॥

   yuktaḥ karmaphalaṃ tyaktvā śāntimāpnoti naiṣṭhikīmayuktaḥ kāmakāreṇa phale sakto nibadhyate

   Krishna says: the steady person, giving up the fruit of action, gains lasting peace. The unsteady person, driven by desire and attached to results, becomes bound.

   Try this today

   Pick one result you are anxious about, such as a reply, mark or sale. Do your part well today, then stop checking on it for the rest of the day.

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6. अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः।स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः ॥6.1॥

   anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥsa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnirna cākriyaḥ

   Krishna says: the one who does the work that ought to be done, without leaning on its results, is truly a renunciate and a yogi. Merely giving up the sacred fire or giving up activity does not make someone one.

   Try this today

   Pick one task you have been avoiding because the payoff is uncertain. Do it fully today, and when the thought "will it pay off?" comes, return to the work itself.

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7. सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज।अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥18.66॥

   sarvadharmānparityajya māmekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajaahaṃ tvā sarvapāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

   Setting aside all other duties and supports, take refuge in me alone. I will free you from all sins; do not grieve.

   Try this today

   When you feel weighed down by guilt or fear today, sit quietly, say 'I take refuge,' and let yourself feel held.

   Study 18.66 in depth →

If you are in deep distress or having thoughts of harming yourself, please talk to someone you trust or call India's free Tele-MANAS helpline on 14416.