Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 3, verse 1 · Arjuna

Bhagavad Gita 3.1 · Jyayasi Chetkarmanaste

ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन ।
तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव ॥

jyāyasī cetkarmaṇaste matā buddhirjanārdana |
tatkiṃ karmaṇi ghore māṃ niyojayasi keśava ||

Translation

Arjuna said: If you hold that understanding is superior to action, Janardana, why then do you urge me into this terrible deed, Keshava?

Context

Spoken by Arjuna in chapter 3, Karma Yoga — “The Yoga of Action”, which has 43 verses.

Frequently asked questions

What does Bhagavad Gita 3.1 mean?

Arjuna said: If you hold that understanding is superior to action, Janardana, why then do you urge me into this terrible deed, Keshava?

Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 3.1?

Arjuna, in chapter 3, Karma Yoga (The Yoga of Action).

Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.