Shloka 17
कर्मणो हाापि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मण: । अकर्मणकश्ष बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गति:,कर्मका स्वरूप भी जानना चाहिये: और अकर्मका स्वरूप भी जानना चाहिये* तथा विकर्मका स्वरूप भी जानना चाहिये;४ क्योंकि कर्मकी गति गहन है
karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ | akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ ||
One must understand what action truly is, and also what wrongful or forbidden action is; and one must understand what non-action is as well—for the real course and consequence of action is profoundly subtle and difficult to discern.
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.