Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2/Verse 49

दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनंजय ।
बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः ॥२- ४९॥

dūreṇa hyavaraṃ karma buddhiyogāddhanaṃjaya ।
buddhau śaraṇamanviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phalahetavaḥ ॥2- 49॥

Indeed by far, action is more inferior than the yoga of wisdom. O Dhanaṃjaya, seek refuge in wisdom! Wretched are the motives for results.


Word-for-word translations

dūreṇa (instrumental case is used adverbially) (masculine, instrumental, singular)  = by far

hi (indecliable) = indeed (emphatic particle)

avaraṃ (adjective) (masculine, nominative , singular) = inferior

karma (neuter, nominative, singular) = action

buddhiyogāt (buddhi + yogāt) (compound) (ablative of comparison) (masculine, ablative, singular) = than the yoga of wisdom 

dhanaṃjaya (masculine, vocative, singular) = O Dhanaṃjaya

buddhau (masculine, locative, singular) = in wisdom

śaraṇam (neuter, accusative, singular) = refuge

anviccha (imperative, 2nd person, singular) = you seek! 

kṛpaṇās (adjective) (masculine, nominative, plural) = wretched 

phalahetavas (phala + hetavas) (compound) (masculine, nominative, plural) = motives for results 


Commentary

Most previous translations are in agreement with the interpretation of this verse, which states that action is far inferior to the "yoga of wisdom" and "motives for results" are "wretched". These are very strong words and go against the zeitgeist in today's world. That is what makes the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita so radical and refreshing. 

A lot of time can be spent on contemplating the deeper meaning of the "yoga of wisdom". The word "yoga" comes from the verb "yuj", which means "yoke" or "join". It conveys a sense of joining oneself to wisdom. 

This verse gives a nice example of an adverbial use the instrumental case and an "ablative of comparison" with the ablative case.