Bhagavad Gita BG 3.20
Chapter 3, Verse 20 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः । लोकसंग्रहमेवापि सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ २० ॥
karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhim āsthitā janakādayaḥ loka-saṃgraham evāpi sampaśyan kartum arhasi
Meaning
It was by action alone that Janaka and others attained perfection. You should also act, keeping in view the welfare and integration of the world (lokasamgraha).
Understanding
Krishna invokes King Janaka as the paradigmatic karma-yogi — a fully enlightened king who, even after realisation, continued to rule and govern, setting a model for all. 'Janakādayaḥ' (Janaka and others like him) confirms this is not a unique exception. The second half introduces lokasamgraha — one of the key concepts of the Gita. Loka means 'the world / the people'; saṃgraha means 'holding together / caring for / integrating.' Lokasamgraha is the welfare, cohesion, and integration of all beings. The enlightened leader acts not for personal gain but to hold the world together. This is why Arjuna — a prince and warrior-leader — must fight.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| संसिद्धिम् | saṃsiddhim | perfection / the highest attainment |
| जनकादयः | janakādayaḥ | Janaka and others like him |
| लोकसंग्रहम् | loka-saṃgraham | welfare and integration of the world / holding the world together |
| सम्पश्यन् | sampaśyan | keeping in view / with consideration for |
| अर्हसि | arhasi | you ought / you are duty-bound / it behoves you |
| कर्मणा | karmaṇā | by action / through action (instrumental) |
| एव | eva | indeed / alone (by action alone) |
| हि | hi | for / certainly |
| आस्थिताः | āsthitāḥ | attained / achieved / established |
| अपि | api | even / also |
| कर्तुम् | kartum | to do / to perform (infinitive) |