Bhagavad Gita · Jnana Karma Sannyasa YogaChapter 4, Shloka 17 (4.17)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः
अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः
॥ 4.17 ॥
karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ
akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ
Translation
"One must understand (the nature of) action, one must understand wrong action (vikarma), and one must understand inaction too; for the way of action is deep."
Interpretation
Three words, a deep way.
- Shankaracharya: karma = śāstra-vihita — enjoined by scripture; vikarma = pratiṣiddha — forbidden; akarma = tūṣṇīm-bhāva — remaining still (not acting). With all three goes "boddhavyam asti" — there is something to be understood. Gahanā viṣamā durjñeyā … gatiḥ yāthātmyaṃ tattvam — their true nature is difficult, hard to know.
- Acharya Ramanuja: karma = action that is a means to liberation; vikarma = action of various kinds (daily, occasional, desire-driven, earning wealth) — in these, phala-bheda-kṛtaṃ vaividhyaṃ parityajya mokṣaika-phalatayā eka-śāstrārthatvānusandhānam — setting aside the variety created by differences of result and seeing them all as having the one result, liberation — this is the vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekā of 2.41; akarma = knowledge.
"Gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ" — a well-known saying. This phrase has become a proverb in Indian languages — "the ways of karma are strange".
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.