Verse 3.5
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्। कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः।।
Transliteration (IAST)
na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt | kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛti-jair guṇaiḥ ||
Word-by-Word Meanings
क्षणम्-a moment
अकर्मकृत्-without doing action
अवशः-helplessly
प्रकृतिजैः-born of material nature
गुणैः-by the qualities/gunas
Translation
No one can remain without action even for a moment. Everyone is helplessly driven to act by the qualities (gunas) born of material nature.
Commentary
This verse presents a fundamental truth: action is unavoidable because the three gunas of prakriti constantly compel activity. Even breathing and thinking are actions. Since inaction is impossible, the question becomes not whether to act, but how to act wisely.
Themes
karmayogadharma