Bhagavad Gita 3.4
Chapter 3, verse 4
Meaning
No one becomes free of action just by never starting anything. And giving things up, on its own, does not bring fulfilment either.
The Sanskrit
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते ।
न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥ ४ ॥
na karmaṇām anārambhān naiṣkarmyaṃ puruṣo 'śnute
na ca saṃnyasanād eva siddhiṃ samadhigacchati
Say it
nuh kur-muh-naam uh-naa-rum-bhaan naish-kur-myum poo-roo-sho-shnoo-tay
nuh chuh sun-nyuh-suh-naa-day-vuh sid-dhim suh-mud-hi-guch-chuh-ti
Word by word
- na karmaṇām anārambhāt
- not by not starting actions
- naiṣkarmyam
- freedom from action, the state where action no longer binds
- puruṣaḥ aśnute
- does a person attain
- na ca saṃnyasanāt eva
- nor by renouncing alone
- siddhim samadhigacchati
- does one reach fulfilment
Read it in context: verses 3.1–4Then why push me into this?With the story so far, commentary, and today's lesson: Stepping back is not the same as being free
Another translation and audio recitation: verse 3.4 on holy-bhagavad-gita.org.
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