Bhagavad Gita 4.17 meaningWisdom in action
In simple wordsSo simple a child gets it
“Understanding action is tricky. Listen closely.”
What it means
“You need to understand action, wrong action and inaction. The nature of action is subtle and hard to grasp.”
The original Sanskrit
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः । अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥
karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ
Translations
Literal translation
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.
Swami Gambhirananda
हिंदी अनुवाद
कर्म का (स्वरूप) जानना चाहिये और विकर्म का (स्वरूप) भी जानना चाहिये ; (बोद्धव्यम्) तथा अकर्म का भी (स्वरूप) जा नना चाहिये (क्योंकि) कर्म की गति गहन है।
Swami Tejomayananda
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Commentaries
How great teachers across 1,200 years have explained this verse.
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Keep reading · 4.18“Whoever sees stillness in action and action in stillness is truly wise. They are centred, even while doing everything.”