Bhagavad Gita BG 3.8
Chapter 3, Verse 8 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः । शरीरयात्राऽपि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥ ८ ॥
niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ śarīra-yātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ
Meaning
Perform your prescribed duty (niyata karma), for action is better than inaction. Even the mere maintenance of your body would be impossible without action.
Understanding
After six verses of philosophical preparation, Krishna delivers a direct command: niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ — 'you, perform your prescribed duty.' Niyata karma is the work that belongs to one by virtue of one's nature and station (svadharma). The argument is simple and practical: action is superior to inaction (jyāyaḥ), and even basic bodily survival requires action. This verse is often quoted as Krishna's definitive answer to Arjuna's paralysis — stop deliberating about philosophy and do your duty. The principle scales from bodily survival up to cosmic maintenance.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| नियतम् | niyatam | prescribed / ordained / one's determined duty |
| ज्यायः | jyāyaḥ | better / superior |
| अकर्मणः | akarmaṇaḥ | than inaction / than non-performance |
| शरीरयात्रा | śarīra-yātrā | maintenance of the body / bodily journey through life |
| प्रसिद्ध्येत् | prasiddhyet | would be accomplished / would succeed |
| कुरु | kuru | perform / do (imperative) |
| त्वम् | tvam | you |
| हि | hi | for / indeed (causal) |
| अपि | api | even / also |
| च | ca | and (conjunction) |
| ते | te | your (body would not even be maintained) |
| न | na | not (prasiddhyet) |