Shloka 23
Karma-Saṃnyāsa–Karma-Yoga Saṃvāda
Renunciation and the Discipline of Action
Devanagari script
यदि हाहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रित: । मम वर्त्मनिवर्तन्ते मनुष्या: पार्थ सर्वश:
Transliteration
yadi hy ahaṁ na varteyaṁ jātu karmaṇy atandritaḥ | mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ||
Translation
“噢，帕尔塔啊，倘若我有一刻不再警醒地履行应行之业，必将招致巨大祸患；因为世人无不以我所示之道为轨，处处效法我的行持。”
Word by Word
यदिif
यदि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदि
हाalas! (interjection)
हा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहा
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअहम्
FormNominative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
वर्तेयम्should act / should engage (in)
वर्तेयम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत् (वर्तते)
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), First, Singular, Atmanepada
जातुever, at any time
जातु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootजातु
कर्मणिin action / in duty
कर्मणि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन्
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
अतन्द्रितःunwearied, vigilant
अतन्द्रितः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअतन्द्रित
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
ममof me / my
मम:
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Singular
वर्त्मनिon the path / in the way
वर्त्मनि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवर्त्मन्
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
निवर्तन्तेfollow / turn (themselves) toward; proceed along
निवर्तन्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-वृत् (निवर्तते)
FormPresent (Lat), Third, Plural, Atmanepada
मनुष्याःpeople, men
मनुष्याः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमनुष्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पार्थO Partha (Arjuna)
पार्थ:
TypeNoun
Rootपार्थ
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
सर्वशःin every way, entirely
सर्वशः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसर्वशस्
Speaker
अजुन उवाच
Characters & Entities
A
Arjuna (Pārtha)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
Those in positions of influence must act diligently in accordance with dharma, because society imitates their conduct; negligence by a leader becomes a cause of widespread moral and practical decline.
In the Gītā discourse on the battlefield, Kṛṣṇa explains to Arjuna why he himself continues to act without negligence: not out of personal need, but to uphold order and set an example that others will follow.