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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 Verse 23 (3.23)

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 Verse 23 (3.23)

यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः । मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः | | ३-२३ | |

yadi hyahaṁ na varteyaṁ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ mama vartmānuvartante manuṣhyāḥ pārtha sarvaśhaḥ

Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
  • यदि (yadi) — यदि मैं न लगा रहूं(if I did not continue)
  • हि (hi) — यदि मैं न लगा रहूं(if I did not continue)
  • अहम् (aham) — यदि मैं न लगा रहूं(if I did not continue)
  • (na) — यदि मैं न लगा रहूं(if I did not continue)
  • वएय (varteyam) — यदि मैं न लगा रहूं(if I did not continue)
  • जउ (jatu) — कर्म में सदा सजग(ever active and alert in action)
  • कर्माणि (karmani) — कर्म में सदा सजग(ever active and alert in action)
  • अतइत (atandritah) — कर्म में सदा सजग(ever active and alert in action)
Line 2:
  • मम (mama) — लोग मेरे मार्ग का अनुसरण करते हैं(people follow My path)
  • vartm joined in vartmānuvartante
  • अउवतए (anuvartante) — लोग मेरे मार्ग का अनुसरण करते हैं(people follow My path)
  • मउय (manushyah) — मउय(human beings)
  • पार्थ (Partha) — हे पार्थ(Arjuna)
  • सर्वशह् (sarvashah) — सभी(in every way)

English: For were I not to act without ceasing, O prince, people would be glad to do likewise.

💡 Commentary Note

If the Divine stopped acting, human beings would copy that inaction and abandon their own duties, leading to laziness and social decay. Role models must stay active to guide others.

Learnings from Shloka 23:
  • Danger of Inaction:: When leaders become lazy or indifferent, the entire community suffers.
  • Constant Vigilance:: Staying active and responsible is necessary to keep society moving forward.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 3.23 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary