📿 Shloka Collection

Karmany Akarma Yah Pashyet

Gita 4.18 Bhagavad Gita
📖 Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4 — Gyana Karma Sannyasa Yoga
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः ।
स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥
Karmany akarma yah pashyed akarmani cha karma yah
Sa buddhiman manushyeshu sa yuktah kritsna-karma-krit
कर्मणि
in action
अकर्म
inaction (absence of doer-ship)
यः
whoever
पश्येत्
sees
अकर्मणि
in inaction
and
कर्म
action (the sense of doing)
that person
बुद्धिमान्
truly wise
मनुष्येषु
among human beings
युक्तः
connected in yoga
कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्
the doer of all actions

Someone works all day without any trace of ego — no "I did this" in their mind. That person is acting, yet inwardly there is no doer. This is seeing inaction within action. Another person sits idle, but inside their mind churns with desires, plans, and resentment. That person is still, yet the inner engine of karma is running. This is seeing action within inaction.

The distinction is not about the body. It is about the inner attitude. External movement does not define karma. The sense of ownership does. Krishna says the one who sees this clearly is the wisest among all human beings — a true yogi who has understood the full scope of action.

This shloka is the answer to the question raised in 4.16 and 4.17. The essence of gyana yoga is captured in a single insight: what matters is not the outward act but the inner sense of doer-ship.

The next shloka (4.19) describes the qualities of the person who has realized this — whose every undertaking is free from desire and whose karma has been consumed by the fire of knowledge.

Chapter 4 · 18 / 42
Chapter 4 · 18 / 42 Next →