4.16 किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः। तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्
kiṃ karma kim
Word meanings
kim—what;karma—action;kim—what;akarma—inaction;iti—thus;kavayaḥ—the wise;api—even;atra—in this;mohitāḥ—are confused;tat—that;te—to you;karma—action;pravakṣhyāmi—I shall explain;yat—which;jñātvā—knowing;mokṣhyase—you may free yourself;aśhubhāt—from inauspiciousness
Verse audio
Divine Verses of the Bhagavad Gita • Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Translation stream
Even the wise are perplexed about what is action and what is non-action; I shall properly teach you the action, by knowing which you will be freed from evil.
What is action and what is inaction? It is a question which has bewildered the wise. But I will declare unto thee the philosophy of action, and knowing it, thou shalt be free from evil.
What is action? What is non-action? Even the wise are puzzled in respect of these. I shall declare to you that kind of action by knowing which you will be freed from evil.
Even the intelligent are confounded as to what is action and what is inaction. I shall tell you of that action by knowing which you will become free from evil.
What is action? What is inaction? As to this even the wise are confused. Therefore, I shall teach thee such action (the nature of action and inaction), by knowing which thou shalt be liberated from the evil (of Samsara, the world of birth and death).
4.18 कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः। स बुद्धिमान् मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्
karmaṇy
Word meanings
karmaṇi—action;akarma—in inaction;yaḥ—who;paśhyet—see;akarmaṇi—inaction;cha—also;karma—action;yaḥ—who;saḥ—they;buddhi-mān—wise;manuṣhyeṣhu—amongst humans;saḥ—they;yuktaḥ—yogis;kṛitsna-karma-kṛit—performers all kinds of actions
Verse audio
Divine Verses of the Bhagavad Gita • Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Translation stream
He who finds non-action in action, and action in non-action, is an intelligent one among men and is said to be a performer or destroyer of all actions.
He who can see inaction in action, and action in inaction, is the wisest among men. He is a saint, even though he still acts.
He who sees non-action in action and also action in non-action is wise among men. He is fit for release and has carried out all actions.
He who finds inaction in action, and action in inaction, he is the wise one [Possessed of the knowledge of Brahman] among men; he is engaged in yoga and is a performer of all actions!
He who seeth inaction in action and action in inaction, he is wise among men; he is a Yogi and performer of all actions.
Verse
ज्ञानकर्मसंन्यासयोग
Chapter 4: Wisdom in Action
jñānakarmasaṃnyāsayoga
Chapters
Verses
4.17 कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः। अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः
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Word meanings
karmaṇaḥ—recommended action;hi—certainly;api—also;boddhavyam—should be known;boddhavyam—must understand;cha—and;vikarmaṇaḥ—forbidden action;akarmaṇaḥ—inaction;cha—and;boddhavyam—must understand;gahanā—profound;karmaṇaḥ—of action;gatiḥ—the true path
Verse audio
Divine Verses of the Bhagavad Gita • Swami Dayananda Saraswati
Translation stream
Something has to be understood about good action; something has to be understood about wrong action; and something has to be understood about non-action. It is difficult to comprehend the way of action.
It is necessary to consider what is right action, what is wrong action, and what is inaction, for mysterious is the law of action.
For, there is what ought to be known in action. Likewise there is what ought to be known in multi-form action. And there is what ought to be understood in non-action. Thus mysterious is the way of action.
For there is something to be known even about action, and something to be known about prohibited action; and something has to be known about inaction. The true nature of action is inscrutable.
For, verily the true nature of action (enjoined by the scriptures) should be known, also (that) of forbidden (or unlawful) action, and of inaction; hard to understand is the nature (path) of action.
