Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 4, verse 17 · Krishna
Bhagavad Gita 4.17 · Karmano Hyapi Boddhavyam
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः ।
अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥
karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ |
akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ ||
Translation
One must understand what action is, what wrong action is, and what inaction is; the way of action is hard to fathom.
Context
Spoken by Krishna in chapter 4, Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga — “The Yoga of Knowledge and the Renunciation of Action”, which has 42 verses.
Frequently asked questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 4.17 mean?
One must understand what action is, what wrong action is, and what inaction is; the way of action is hard to fathom.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 4.17?
Krishna, speaking to Arjuna, in chapter 4, Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga (The Yoga of Knowledge and the Renunciation of Action).
Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.