Shloka 17

ध्यानयोगः — Dhyāna-Yoga

Discipline of Meditation and Mental Restraint

Devanagari script

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

Transliteration

karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ | akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ ||

Translation

కర్మ స్వరూపమును కూడా గ్రహించవలెను; వికర్మము (నిషిద్ధకర్మ) స్వరూపమును కూడా గ్రహించవలెను; అకర్మ స్వరూపమును కూడా గ్రహించవలెను—ఎందుకనగా కర్మగతి అతి గహనమైనది.

Word by Word

कर्मणःof action (karma)

हिindeed/for

अपिalso/even

बोद्धव्यम्should be understood/known

चand

विकर्मणःof wrong action/forbidden action

अकर्मणःof non-action/inaction

चand

बोद्धव्यम्should be understood/known

गहनाdeep/inscrutable

कर्मणःof action (karma)

गतिःcourse/way/result

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

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?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.