Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3/Verse 25

Chapter 3/Verse 25

सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।
कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसंग्रहम् ॥३- २५॥

saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvāṃso yathā kurvanti bhārata ।
kuryādvidvāṃstathāsaktaścikīrṣurlokasaṃgraham ॥3- 25॥

As the unwise are attached performing in action, O Descendant of Bharata, so the wise one should perform unattached desirous to do the way of the world. 

Word-for-word translations

saktās (past passive participle, masculine, nominative, plural) = attached

karmaṇi (neuter, locative, plural) = in action

avidvāṃsas (participle, masculine, nominative, plural) = the unwise

yathā (adverb) (indeclinable) = as 

kurvanti (present tense, 3rd person, plural) = they perform

bhārata (masculine, vocative, singular) = O Descendant of Bharata (epithet of Arjuna) 

kuryāt (optative, 3rd person, singular) = one should perform  

vidvān (participle, masculine, accusative, singular) = the wise

tathā (adverb) (indeclinable) = so 

asaktas (past passive participle, masculine, nominative, singular) = unattached

cikīrṣus (desiderative, 3rd person, singular) = desirous to do

lokasaṃgraham (loka + saṃgraham) (compound) (masculine, accusative, singular) = the way of the world  

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3/Verse 24

Chapter 3/Verse 24

उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् ।
संकरस्य च कर्ता स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः ॥३- २४॥

utsīdeyurime lokā na kuryāṃ karma cedaham ।
saṃkarasya ca kartā syāmupahanyāmimāḥ prajāḥ ॥3- 24॥

If I would not perform action, these worlds would perish. I would be a maker of confusion and would destroy these creatures. 

Word-for-word translations

utsīdeyus (optative, 3rd person, plural) = they would perish

ime (masculine, nominative, plural) = they

lokās (masculine, nominative, plural) = the worlds 

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

kuryām (optative, 1st person, singular) = I would perform

karma (neuter, accusative, singular) = action

ced (conjunction) (indeclinable) = if 

aham (pronoun, 1st person, nominative, singular) = I

saṃkarasya (masculine, genitive, singular) = of confusion

ca (conjunction) (indeclinable) = and 

kartā (masculine, nominative, singular) =maker

syām (optative, 1st person, singular) = I would be 

upahanyām (optative, 1st person, singular) = I would destroy

imās (feminine, accusative, plural) = these

prajās (feminine, accusative, plural) = creatures 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3/Verse 23

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

yadi hyahaṃ na varteyaṃ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ ।
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ॥3- 23॥

Indeed, if I, unwearied, should not engage in action at all, humankind would follow my path everywhere, O Son of Pṛthā. 

Word-for-word translations

yadi (conjunction) (indeclinable)  = if 

hi (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed 

ahaṃ (pronoun, 1st person, nominative, singular) = I 

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

varteyam (optative, 1st person, singular) = I should engage

jātu (adverb) (indeclinable) = at all

karmaṇi (neuter, locative, singular) = in action

atandritaḥ (masculine, nominative, singular) = unwearied 

mama (pronoun, 1st person, genitive, singular) = my

vartma (neuter, accusative, singular) = path

anuvartante (present tense, 3rd person, plural) = they follow

manuṣyās (masculine, nominative, plural) = humankind

pārtha (masculine, vocative, singular) = O Son of Pṛthā (epithet of Arjuna)

sarvaśas (adverb) (indeclinable) = everywhere

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3/Verse 22

Chapter 3/Verse 22

न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किंचन ।
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥३- २२॥

na me pārthāsti kartavyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu kiṃcana ।

nānavāptamavāptavyaṃ varta eva ca karmaṇi ॥3- 22॥

O Son of Pṛthā, of me nothing whatsoever is to be done in the three worlds.  Nothing not attained is to be attained. Nevertheless, I engage in action.  

Word-for-word translations

na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

me (pronoun, 1st person, genitive, singular) = of me 

pārtha (masculine, vocative, singular) = O Son of Pṛthā (epithet of Arjuna) 

āsti (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = it is 

kartavyaṃ (gerundive, neuter, nominative, singular) = to be done

triṣu (adjective) (masculine, locative, plural) = in the three

lokeṣu (masculine, locative, plural) = in the worlds 

kiṃcana (pronoun) = anything whatever 



na (adverb) (indeclinable) = not

anavāptam (past passive participle, masculine, accusative, singular) = not attained 

avāptavyaṃ (gerundive, masculine, accusative, singular) = to be attained 

varte (present tense, 1st person, singular) = I engage

eva ca (adverb) (indeclinable) = nevertheless 

karmaṇi (neuter, locative, singular) = in action

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3/Verse 21

यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥३- २१॥

yadyadācarati śreṣṭhastattadevetaro janaḥ ।
sa yatpramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate ॥3- 21॥

Whatever that one does is most excellent, indeed, this and that other person does whatever standard. The world follows that.  

Word-for-word translations

yadyad (pronoun) = whatever

ācarati (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = that one does

śreṣṭhas (superlative, masculine, nominative, singular) = most excellent 

tattad (pronoun, 3rd person) = this and that 

eva (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed

itaras (masculine, nominative, singular) = other 

janas (masculine, nominative, singular) = a person 

sas (pronoun, 3rd person, singular) = that one

yad (pronoun, neuter, accusative, singular) = whatever

pramāṇaṃ (neuter, accusative, singular) = standard

kurute (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = does

lokas (masculine, nominative, singular) = the world 

tad (pronoun, neuter, accusative, singular) = that 

anuvartate (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = it follows

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3/Verse 20

कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः ।
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि संपश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥३- २०॥

karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhimāsthitā janakādayaḥ ।

lokasaṃgrahamevāpi saṃpaśyankartumarhasi ॥3- 20॥

Verily indeed by action, Janaka and others attained perfection. Indeed, observing the way of the world, you are also worthy to do. 

Word-for-word translations

karmaṇā (neuter, instrumental, singular) = by action

eva (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed

hi (adverb) (indeclinable) = verily 

saṃsiddhim (feminine, accusative, singular) = perfection

āsthitā (past passive participle, masculine, nominative, singular) = attained 

janakādayas (masculine, nominative, singular) = Janaka and others



lokasaṃgraham (loka + saṃgraham) (compound) (masculine, accusative, singular) = the way of the world  

eva (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed

api (adverb) (indeclinable) = also

saṃpaśyan (present participle, masculine, nominative, singular) = observing 

kartum (infinitive) = to do 

arhasi (present tense, 2nd person, singular) = you are worthy 

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3/Verse 19

तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर ।
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ॥३- १९॥

tasmādasaktaḥ satataṃ kāryaṃ karma samācara ।
asakto hyācarankarma paramāpnoti pūruṣaḥ ॥3- 19॥

Therefore, unattached, perpetually you must perform action to be done. Indeed, unattached, performing action, a person attains the highest. 


Word-for-word translations

tasmāt (adverb) (indeclinable) = therefore 

asaktas (past passive participle, masculine, nominative, singular) = unattached

satatam (adverb) (indeclinable) = perpetually

kāryam (gerundive, neuter, nominative, singular) = to be done

karma (neuter, accusative, singular) = action

samācara (imperative, 2nd person, singular) = you must perform 

asaktas (unattached) (past passive participle, masculine, nominative, singular) = unattached

hi (adverb) (indeclinable) = indeed

ācaran (present participle, masculine, nominative, singular) = performing 

karma (neuter, accusative, singular) = action

param (masculine, accusative, singular) = the highest 

āpnoti (present tense, 3rd person, singular) = one attains 

pūruṣas (masculine, nominative, singular) = a person