Upanishads · Chāndogya 7,21.1
॥
Devanāgarī
यदा वै करोति अथ निस्तिष्ठति न अकृत्वा निस्तिष्ठति कृत्वा एव निस्तिष्ठति कृतिः तु एव विजिज्ञासितव्या इति कृतिं भगवः विजिज्ञासे इति
Transliteration (IAST)
yadā vai karoti atha nistiṣṭhati na akṛtvā nistiṣṭhati kṛtvā eva nistiṣṭhati kṛtiḥ tu eva vijijñāsitavyā iti kṛtiṃ bhagavaḥ vijijñāse iti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यदाyadāwhen; at the moment when
वैvaiverily; indeed
करोतिkarotihe acts (from √kṛ); acts; he performs
अथathathereupon; then
निस्तिष्ठतिnistiṣṭhatiis established; he becomes steadfast
नnanot; no
अकृत्वाakṛtvāwithout acting (a + kṛtvā); without doing; having not performed
निस्तिष्ठतिnistiṣṭhatiis established; he becomes steadfast
कृत्वाkṛtvāacting (from √kṛ); having performed; having done it
एवevaindeed; surely
निस्तिष्ठतिnistiṣṭhatiis established; he becomes steadfast
कृतिःkṛtiḥaction (kṛti); action; the doing
तुtubut; surely
एवevaindeed; surely
विजिज्ञासितव्याvijijñāsitavyāshe must be known; she must be investigated
इतिitithus; how
कृतिंkṛtiṃaction; the performance
भगवःbhagavaḥvenerable one; sir
विजिज्ञासेvijijñāseI wish to know; I would investigate
इतिitithus; how
Translation
"When a man acts, then he cleaves fast; without acting, he does not cleave fast: only one who acts cleaves fast. But action must be sought to be comprehended." — "I seek to comprehend action, sir."
Version
d8d4da793a22 · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:48:34 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The fifth condition: kṛti, doing. Steadfastness is not hatched in daydreams — it is worked up: a man cleaves to what he does. Service begets fidelity, not the other way round; he who waits for niṣṭhā to "appear" before he begins to practise is waiting for a harvest before the sowing.
Here the Upaniṣad settles in one line the perennial quarrel of contemplation and action: at the foundation of faith itself lies a deed. The path begins with the hands, not with moods — a truth on which the whole karma-yoga wing of the Gītā rests (BG 3) and the whole practice of bhakti: serve first, and the taste will come of the serving.