Verse-8
Chapter 3 — Karma Yoga
Verse 8
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ
śarīrayātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyedakarmaṇaḥ
🕉 English Translation
📜 Translation
English
Perform actions ordained by the scriptures, because action is better than inaction. By not performing action even the maintenance of your body will not be possible.
Amongst the inspirations provided in the Gita one of the significant issues relates to the performance of actions sanctioned by the scriptures. Being a human whatever actions are ordained for you, allocated to you, you should definitely perform. One should act, because inaction is not proper from any angle. Sloth, laziness, inactivity is not liked in the least by the Krishna of the Gita. Awareness, activity is the healthy, vigilant aspect of human life. Abandoning action and being slothful and idle can never be considered as proper. In any case by performing actions only, one can overcome the bondage of the past actions.
'Karma jyayo hyakarmanah' Performing actions is superior to renouncing actions. If one forcibly and obstinately abandons actions even then the inner impressions at some point of time may impel one to act. The performance of action will exhaust the effects of the past impressions, will cut as under the bondage of action. The inner-self will become pure by the performance of actions only, because the duties of this body and relating to this body, of family, conduct, trade, relations, are all somewhere or the other unfulfilled relations and responsibilities of previous births. These have to be fulfilled and this being done, one will get relieved from one's debt; the inner state will become pure and emptied of impressions.
'Sarirayatrapi ch te na prasiddhyedakarmanah'–On giving up the actions even the maintenance of the body would not be possible. The maintenance of the body is through actions. Just by the consumption of food and water only the body cannot be maintained. Every organ has its own function. Some actions take place naturally and are bound to happen, and some are necessary so that the body may not become slothful, lazy and diseased. In whatever field of activity one is, one should ascertain correctly what one's duty is.