Verse 4.18
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः। स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्।।
Transliteration (IAST)
karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt
Word-by-Word Meanings
karmaṇi-in action
akarma-inaction
paśyet-sees/observes
buddhimān-intelligent/wise
yuktaḥ-engaged in yoga
kṛtsna-karma-kṛt-doer of all actions
Translation
One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men, and is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.
Commentary
This is one of the most philosophically dense verses in the Gita. Seeing inaction in action means performing duties without ego-identification as the doer. Seeing action in inaction means recognizing that deliberate avoidance of duty is itself a karmic act. The truly wise person acts fully while remaining internally free.
Themes
karmajnanayoga