Gita Verse 3.4

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 3, Verse 4

Sanskrit Verse

न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते।

न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति।।3.4।।

Transliteration

na karmaṇām anārambhān naiṣhkarmyaṁ puruṣho ’śhnute

na cha sannyasanād eva siddhiṁ samadhigachchhati

Word meanings

na—not; karmaṇām—of actions; anārambhāt—by abstaining from; naiṣhkarmyam—freedom from karmic reactions; puruṣhaḥ—a person; aśhnute—attains; na—not; cha—and; sannyasanāt—by renunciation; eva—only; siddhim—perfection; samadhigachchhati—attains

Swami Sivananda's translation

Man does not reach actionlessness by not performing actions; nor does he attain perfection by mere renunciation.

Chapter link: Gita Chapter 3