Gita Verse 4.16

Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 4, Verse 16

Sanskrit Verse

किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः।

तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्।।4.16।।

Transliteration

kiṁ karma kim akarmeti kavayo ’pyatra mohitāḥ

tat te karma pravakṣhyāmi yaj jñātvā mokṣhyase ’śhubhāt

Word meanings

kim—what; karma—action; kim—what; akarma—inaction; iti—thus; kavayaḥ—the wise; api—even; atra—in this; mohitāḥ—are confused; tat—that; te—to you; karma—action; pravakṣhyāmi—I shall explain; yat—which; jñātvā—knowing; mokṣhyase—you may free yourself; aśhubhāt—from inauspiciousness

Swami Sivananda's translation

What is action? What is inaction? Even the wise are confused about this. Therefore, I shall teach you the nature of action and inaction, by knowing which you will be liberated from the evil of Samsara, the wheel of birth and death.

Chapter link: Gita Chapter 4