Shloka 25

Karma-Saṃnyāsa–Karma-Yoga Saṃvāda

Renunciation and the Discipline of Action

Devanagari script

सक्ता: कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत । कुर्याद्‌ विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्निकीर्षुलोंकसंग्रहम्‌

Transliteration

saktāḥ karmaṇy avidvāṁso yathā kurvanti bhārata | kuryād vidvāṁs tathāsaktaś cikīrṣur loka-saṅgraham ||

Translation

«О Бхарата, как невежественные действуют, цепляясь за деяние, так и мудрый должен действовать без привязанности, желая удержать мир в целостности и порядке (лока-санграха).»

Word by Word

• सक्ताः: attached
• सक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सक्त (√सञ्ज्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कर्मणि: in action/work
• कर्मणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अविद्वांसः: the unlearned/ignorant
• अविद्वांसः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद्वांस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• कुर्वन्ति: they do
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुर्यात्: should do
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ
• Form: Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विद्वान्: the wise/learned person
• विद्वान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वांस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: so, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• असक्तः: unattached
• असक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असक्त (√सञ्ज्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चिकीर्षुः: wishing to do/bring about
• चिकीर्षुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिकीर्षु (√कृ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोकसंग्रहम्: the holding-together/welfare of the world (social order)
• लोकसंग्रहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकसंग्रह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata (Arjuna as addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The wise should continue performing rightful action without personal attachment, not to chase results but to sustain social harmony (loka-saṅgraha) and set a stabilizing example for others.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the battlefield dialogue, Kṛṣṇa instructs Arjuna that even enlightened people should not abandon action; rather, they should act responsibly so that ordinary people—who naturally act with attachment—are guided and society remains ordered.