Shloka 17
ध्यानयोगः — Dhyāna-Yoga
Discipline of Meditation and Mental Restraint
कर्मणो हाापि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मण: । अकर्मणकश्ष बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गति:
karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ | akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ ||
Man muss verstehen, was Handeln wirklich ist; man muss auch verstehen, was verkehrtes oder verbotenes Handeln ist; und man muss ebenso verstehen, was Nicht-Handeln ist—denn der wahre Gang und die Folge des Handelns sind tiefgründig und schwer zu durchschauen.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical clarity requires distinguishing three things: rightful duty (karma), prohibited or harmful conduct (vikarma), and non-action (akarma). Because consequences and moral status of actions can be subtle, one should learn to discern them carefully rather than judging only by outward appearance.
In the midst of the Kurukṣetra war setting, the teaching turns to practical moral reasoning: the listener is being guided to understand how to act without confusion—what should be done, what must be avoided, and what counts as true non-action—since the path of action is complex.