Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 Verse 4 (3.4)
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 Verse 4 (3.4)
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते । | न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति | | ३-४ | |
na karmaṇāmanārambhānnaiṣhkarmyaṁ puruṣho’śhnute na cha saṁnyasanādeva siddhiṁ samadhigachchhati
Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
- न
(na)— कर्म आरंभ न करने से नहीं(not by not beginning actions) - कर्मणाम्
(karmanam)— कर्म आरंभ न करने से नहीं(not by not beginning actions) - अनारम्भात्
(anarambhat)— आरंभ न करने से(not by not beginning actions) - नैष्कर्म्यम्
(naishkarmyam)— कर्मबंधन से मुक्ति(freedom from binding action) - पुरुषः
(purushah)— मनुष्य प्राप्त करता है(a person attains) - अश्नुते
(ashnute)— मनुष्य प्राप्त करता है(a person attains)
Line 2:
- न
(na)— केवल संन्यास से भी नहीं(nor by mere renunciation alone) - च
(cha)— केवल संन्यास से भी नहीं(nor by mere renunciation alone) - संन्यासात्
(sannyasanat)— संन्यास से(nor by mere renunciation alone) - एव
(eva)— केवल संन्यास से भी नहीं(nor by mere renunciation alone) - सिद्धिम्
(siddhim)— सिद्धि प्राप्त करता है(reaches perfection) - समधिगच्छति
(samadhigacchati)— प्राप्त करता है(reaches perfection)
English: A person does not become free by avoiding action, and does not become perfect by simply refusing to act.
Note:
True freedom from action (naishkarmya) cannot be achieved by merely refusing to start work, nor can perfection be reached by running away from duties. Renunciation must be internal, not just a physical abandonment of tasks.
Learnings from Shloka 4:
- Inaction is Not Freedom:: Avoiding responsibility does not free the mind from the desires that drive action.
- Internal vs. External:: Renouncing work physically is meaningless if the mind continues to crave the results of that work.
Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz
Practice this shloka vocabularyMatch Sanskrit words from shloka 3.4 with their Hindi and English meanings.
Practice vocabulary