Chapter 4 · Knowledge and Renunciation of Action

श्रीकृष्णŚrī Kṛṣṇa speaks

Text 4.17

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मण: अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गति:

karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ cha vikarmaṇaḥ akarmaṇaśh cha boddhavyaṁ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ

Recitation · Text 4.17
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Word-for-Word Śabda-Artha (13 words)

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Purport Overview & Key Insights

Three things must be understood, not two: prescribed action, forbidden action (vikarma), and inaction — because the way of action is profound (gahanā). The middle term is easy to miss and is precisely where most confusion lives.

✨ Devotional Takeaway:Three categories, not two — the middle one, forbidden action, is easy to miss and is where much of the confusion lives.