Bhagavad Gita BG 4.18
Chapter 4, Verse 18 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येद् अकर्मणि च कर्म यः । स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥
karmany akarma yah pasyed akarmani ca karma yah sa buddhiman manushyeshu sa yuktah krtsna-karma-krt
Meaning
One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction — that one is wise among humans, that one is a yogi, that one has done all that needs to be done.
Understanding
The great paradox of karma yoga: seeing akarma (non-doership, inaction) IN action (while physically active), and seeing karma (binding force) IN apparent inaction (sitting still with ego and desire). The one who sees this is buddhiman (truly wise), yukta (a yogi), and krtsna-karma-krt (has accomplished everything to be accomplished). The physically active person acting without ego-doership is more 'inactive' than the seated monk burning with desire.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अकर्म | akarma | inaction, non-doership |
| पश्येत् | pashyet | sees, perceives, discerns |
| बुद्धिमान् | buddhiman | wise, intelligent, discerning |
| युक्तः | yuktah | a yogi, one united (in yoga) |
| कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् | krtsna-karma-krt | one who has done all that needs doing |
| कर्मणि | karmaṇi | in action / while acting |
| यः | yaḥ | he who / one who |
| च | ca | and / also (conjunction) |
| कर्म | karma | action (sees action in inaction) |
| सः | saḥ | he (that wise person) |
| मनुष्येषु | manuṣyeṣu | among human beings / among people |