Bhagavad Gita · 4.17
॥
Devanāgarī
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः ।
अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ |
akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyaṁ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कर्मणःkarmaṇaḥabout the [nature of] karma (prescribed action)
हि अपिhi apitruly also
बोद्धव्यम्boddhavyamone must understand, one should know
बोद्धव्यम् चboddhavyam caand one must also understand
विकर्मणःvikarmaṇaḥabout the [nature of] vikarma (forbidden action)
अकर्मणः चakarmaṇaḥ caand about the [nature of] akarma (inaction / divine action)
बोद्धव्यम्boddhavyamone must understand
गहनाgahanādeep, intricate, unfathomable, tangled
कर्मणःkarmaṇaḥof action
गतिःgatiḥthe way, the nature, the course
Translation
“One must perfectly understand the nature of karma [prescribed action], vikarma [forbidden action], and akarma [divine action]. Truly, the ways of action are very intricate and perplexing.”
Version
030442344d04 · published Jul 2, 2026, 12:00:00 PM UTC
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