Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 3 · Karma Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 3.4 न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते
श्लोक 3.4
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते ।
न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ॥
na karmaṇāmanārambhānnaiṣkarmyaṃ puruṣo'śnute |
na ca saṃnyasanādeva siddhiṃ samadhigacchati ||
हिन्दी अर्थ
केवल कर्म आरम्भ न करने से मनुष्य निष्कर्मता (कर्म-बंधन से मुक्ति) नहीं पाता, और न ही केवल त्याग कर देने से उसे सिद्धि मिलती है।
Meaning in English
A person does not reach freedom from action merely by not starting any work, nor does one attain perfection simply by giving things up.
Bhagavad Gita 3.4 — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| न | na | not |
| कर्मणाम् | karmaṇām | of actions |
| अनारम्भात् | anārambhāt | by not starting |
| नैष्कर्म्यम् | naiṣkarmyam | freedom from action (its bondage) |
| पुरुषः | puruṣaḥ | a person |
| अश्नुते | aśnute | attains |
| न | na | nor |
| च | ca | and |
| संन्यसनात् | saṃnyasanāt | by renunciation |
| एव | eva | merely |
| सिद्धिम् | siddhim | perfection |
| समधिगच्छति | samadhigacchati | reaches |
Explanation
A person does not reach freedom from action simply by not starting actions; nor does one attain perfection by mere renunciation.
Naishkarmya is the state where action no longer binds, not mere idleness. Krishna warns that giving up outward activity does not by itself produce inner freedom. Shankara reads naishkarmya as the actionless state of knowledge, reached after the mind is purified through selfless work, and takes 'mere renunciation' to mean renunciation without knowledge. Ramanuja and Tilak use the verse to show that work is a necessary part of the path, not something to drop early.
भावार्थ
मनुष्य न तो कर्मों का आरम्भ न करने से निष्कर्मता (कर्म-बन्धन से मुक्ति) को प्राप्त होता है और न केवल संन्यास ले लेने से सिद्धि को प्राप्त होता है।
Living it today
Quitting a role does not quiet the mind by itself. Inner freedom comes from how you act, not only from stopping.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 3.4?
A person does not reach freedom from action simply by not starting actions; nor does one attain perfection by mere renunciation.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 3.4?
Sri Krishna speaks this verse, in Chapter 3 (Karma Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 3.4 in daily life?
Quitting a role does not quiet the mind by itself. Inner freedom comes from how you act, not only from stopping.
Reflected on verse 3.4?
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