Bhagavad Gita BG 3.22
Chapter 3, Verse 22 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन । नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥ २२ ॥
na me pārthāsti kartavyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana nānavāptam avāptavyaṃ varta eva ca karmaṇi
Meaning
For Me, O Arjuna, there is no duty to be performed in any of the three worlds. There is nothing I have not obtained, nor anything I need to obtain. Yet I continue to act.
Understanding
Krishna now applies the freedom described in v17-18 to Himself. He has no duty (kartavya) in any of the three worlds (heaven, earth, and the underworld). There is nothing He lacks (nānavāptam) and nothing He needs to gain (avāptavyam). Yet — varta eva ca karmaṇi — 'still I continue in action.' This is the most powerful argument for karma-yoga: God himself, who needs nothing, acts. Why? Because creation requires it; because the model must be set; because love is inherently active. The teacher who teaches by transcendent example makes the lesson indelible. If Krishna acts without any need, then action-without-need is possible — and that is exactly what He asks of Arjuna.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| कर्तव्यम् | kartavyam | duty / what needs to be done / obligation |
| त्रिषु लोकेषु | triṣu lokeṣu | in the three worlds (heaven, earth, underworld) |
| अनवाप्तम् | anavāptam | not yet obtained / unacquired |
| अवाप्तव्यम् | avāptavyam | to be obtained / needed to gain |
| वर्ते | varte | I continue / I am engaged / I remain |
| न मे | na me | there is nothing for Me / I have no |
| पार्थ | pārtha | O Partha (Arjuna) |
| अस्ति | asti | is / there is |
| किञ्चन | kiñcana | anything / whatsoever |
| न | na | not (I have nothing unattained) |
| एव | eva | indeed / certainly (yet I engage in action) |
| च | ca | and / yet (conjunction) |
| कर्मणि | karmaṇi | in action / in deeds |