Bhagavad Gita · 3.5
॥
Devanāgarī
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् ।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api jātu tiṣṭhaty akarmakṛt |
kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijair guṇaiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न हिna hiindeed not.
कश्चित्kaścitanyone, no one.
क्षणम् अपिkṣaṇam apieven for a moment.
जातुjātuever.
तिष्ठतिtiṣṭhatican remain.
अकर्मकृत्akarma-kṛtnot performing action, inactive.
कार्यतेkāryatehe is compelled to act, he is made to act.
हिhiindeed, for.
अवशःavaśaḥhelplessly, involuntarily.
कर्मkarmato action.
सर्वःsarvaḥeveryone.
प्रकृतिजैःprakṛti-jaiḥborn of material nature (prakṛti).
गुणैःguṇaiḥby the guṇas (qualities).
Translation
Indeed, no one can ever remain inactive even for a moment, for everyone is helplessly driven to act by the guṇas born of material nature.
Version
fdcbd417a61a · published Jul 2, 2026, 12:00:00 PM UTC
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