Shloka 8

Devanagari script

सम्बन्ध-- अजुनने जो यह पूछा था कि आप मुझे घोर कर्ममें क्यों लगाते हैं; उसके उत्तरमें ऊपरये कर्मोका त्याग करनेवाले मिथ्याचारीकी निन्‍्दा और कर्मयोगीकी प्रशंसा करके अब उन्हें कर्म करनेके लिये आज्ञा देते हैं-- नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो हाकर्मण: । शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्धयेदकर्मण:,तू शास्त्रविहित कर्तव्यकर्म कर; क्योंकि कर्म न करनेकी अपेक्षा कर्म करना श्रेष्ठ है* तथा कर्म न करनेसे तेरा शरीर-निर्वाह भी नहीं सिद्ध होगा

Transliteration

niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ | śarīra-yātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ ||

Translation

ତୁମ ପାଇଁ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରିତ ଶାସ୍ତ୍ରବିହିତ ନିୟତ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟକର୍ମ କର; କାରଣ ଅକର୍ମ ଠାରୁ କର୍ମ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ। କର୍ମ ନ କଲେ ତୋର ଶରୀର-ନିର୍ବାହ ମଧ୍ୟ ସିଦ୍ଧ ହେବ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

नियतंregular/obligatory (duty-bound)

कुरुdo; perform

कर्मaction; work; duty

त्वम्you

कर्मaction (work)

ज्यायःbetter; superior

हिindeed; for

अकर्मणःthan inaction; from non-action

शरीरयात्राmaintenance/journey of the body (bodily sustenance)

अपिeven; also

चand

तेof you; your

नnot

प्रसिद्ध्येत्would be accomplished; would succeed

अकर्मणःfrom inaction; by non-action

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna (as addressee implied by 'tvam')

Body (śarīra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should perform one’s prescribed duty; disciplined action is ethically and practically superior to mere abstention from work, because even basic life and bodily maintenance depend on action.

What is happening in the narrative?

In response to Arjuna’s hesitation and confusion about acting, the instruction turns him away from withdrawal and urges him to engage in rightful, regulated action—setting the groundwork for Karma Yoga in the midst of the impending battle.