Bhagavad Gita 4.17
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः। अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः।।
karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ cha vikarmaṇaḥ akarmaṇaśh cha boddhavyaṁ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ
Word-by-Word
| Sanskrit | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| karmaṇaḥ | karmaṇaḥ | recommended action |
| hi | hi | certainly |
| api | api | also |
| boddhavyam | boddhavyam | should be known |
| boddhavyam | boddhavyam | must understand |
| cha | cha | and |
| vikarmaṇaḥ | vikarmaṇaḥ | forbidden action |
| akarmaṇaḥ | akarmaṇaḥ | inaction |
| cha | cha | and |
| boddhavyam | boddhavyam | must understand |
| gahanā | gahanā | profound |
| karmaṇaḥ | karmaṇaḥ | of action |
| gatiḥ | gatiḥ | the true path |
For verily, the true nature of action enjoined by the scriptures should be known, as well as that of forbidden or unlawful action, and of inaction; the nature of action is hard to understand.
कर्म का (स्वरूप) जानना चाहिये और विकर्म का (स्वरूप) भी जानना चाहिये ; (बोद्धव्यम्) तथा अकर्म का भी (स्वरूप) जानना चाहिये (क्योंकि) कर्म की गति गहन है।।