The literal meaning is straightforward: you are obligated to act according to your dharma, your divinely appointed role or duty in life, but you cannot claim ownership or expect specific rewards from the results of that action. This is not a call to inaction, but a redefinition of the purpose of action.

Within the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna is instructing Arjuna on the path of Karma Yoga, the yoga of action. The deeper esoteric meaning lies in understanding the nature of the self (Atman) and its relationship to the divine (Brahman). The 'fruits' of action are tied to the ego's desires and attachments, which bind the soul to the cycle of karma and rebirth. By performing duty (seva) selflessly, as an offering to the divine, one detaches from the results. This detachment purifies the mind and leads towards liberation (moksha). Krishna emphasizes that true fulfillment comes not from the external rewards but from the internal state of equanimity and surrender to the cosmic order.

In your life: Approach your responsibilities with diligence, but release the anxious need to control or anticipate the specific outcomes, finding peace in the act of doing itself.