Chapter 3, Verse 5 (Bhagavad Gita 3.5)
Chapter 3: Karm Yog – Path of Selfless Service
Sanskrit Shloka
न हि कश्िचत्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्। कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः
Transliteration
na hi kaśhchit kṣhaṇam api jātu tiṣhṭhatyakarma-kṛit kāryate hyavaśhaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛiti-jair guṇaiḥ
Word Meanings
na—not; hi—certainly; kaśhchit—anyone; kṣhaṇam—a moment; api—even; jātu—ever; tiṣhṭhati—can remain; akarma-kṛit—without action; kāryate—are performed; hi—certainly; avaśhaḥ—helpless; karma—work; sarvaḥ—all; prakṛiti-jaiḥ—born of material nature; guṇaiḥ—by the qualities
Translation
Verily, no one can remain for even a moment without performing action; for everyone is driven to act helplessly by the modes born of Prakriti (Nature).
Meaning & Commentary
This verse reveals the inescapable nature of human existence, rooted in the psychological impulses generated by our three constituent qualities: sattva, rajas, and tamas. We often mistake inaction for spirituality, but true wisdom lies in realizing that even mental stillness is a form of activity driven by our inherent conditioning. By accepting that our body and mind are part of a larger causal mechanism of Nature, we move from a state of anxious striving to one of detached observation. This shift allows us to perform our duties without being enslaved by the ego, ultimately guiding us toward the realization of the higher Self that remains eternally still amidst the flux of activity.