Chapter 4 · Verse 17
Path of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः। अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः
karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ cha vikarmaṇaḥ akarmaṇaśh cha boddhavyaṁ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ
Word Meanings
karmaṇaḥ — recommended action; hi — certainly; api — also; boddhavyam — should be known; boddhavyam — must understand; cha — and; vikarmaṇaḥ — forbidden action; akarmaṇaḥ — inaction; cha — and; boddhavyam — must understand; gahanā — profound; karmaṇaḥ — of action; gatiḥ — the true path
Translation
One must understand the nature of right action, wrong action, and inaction, for the way of action is profound and difficult to fathom.