नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः ।शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥
niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ |śarīrayātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ ||
- नियतम् · niyatam
- prescribed, appointed
- कुरु · kuru
- do, perform
- कर्म · karma
- action, work
- त्वम् · tvam
- you
- ज्यायः · jyāyaḥ
- superior, better
- हि · hi
- indeed, for
- अकर्मणः · akarmaṇaḥ
- than inaction
- शरीरयात्रा · śarīrayātrā
- maintenance of the body
- अपि · api
- even
- च · ca
- and
- ते · te
- your
- न · na
- not
- प्रसिद्ध्येत् · prasiddhyet
- would succeed, be possible
“Do your appointed work, for action is better than inaction. Even the maintenance of your body would not be possible without action.”
— Original plain-language translation
A plain, practical argument pitched to Arjuna the warrior: niyata karma, his own appointed duty, must be done. Even survival needs action, so renunciation of all work is a fantasy. The spiritual path starts with doing what is yours to do.
— Reader's notes (original)