Chapter 3 · Karma Yoga

Bhagavad Gita 3.8

नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः। शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः॥

niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ śarīrayātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyedakarmaṇaḥ

Meaning

Do your duty as prescribed, for action for duty's sake is superior to inaction. Even the maintenance of the body would be impossible if one remained inactive.

Understanding this verse

Simple meaning

Krishna says: do the work that is yours to do. Action is better than inaction. Even keeping your own body alive isn't possible without doing something.

In real life

A writer waiting for the perfect inspiration finally commits to 300 words a day. Within two months she has a first draft.

A young person stuck at home "figuring out life" takes a part-time job meanwhile, and the action itself brings clarity about what he wants.

Try this today: Pick the task you've been avoiding the longest and do just the first 10 minutes of it today.

Helps with:Procrastination

What's your duvidha?

0/300

English translation by Shri Purohit Swami (1935), public domain. Sanskrit text in the public domain. About Duvidha