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Chapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge · 42 verses

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Duty & actionChapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge
4.164.18

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 4.17

Transcendental understanding of action

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः ।

अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥ १७ ॥

karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṁ

boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ

akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyaṁ

gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ

Translation

The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is and what inaction is.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Understanding Action and Inaction

  1. 1Action is hard to understand. We must know the difference between action, forbidden action, and inaction.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that every living being is the Lord’s eternal servant and should therefore act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
  3. 3Learn from authorities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness to understand these distinctions properly.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 4, Transcendental Knowledge: transcendental understanding of action.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Act dutifully without attachment to fruits.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Action & reaction

Action, forbidden action and inaction must be understood.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 4.17 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to duty & action?

Practice

Do one task today purely because it is right.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 4 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 3.9Work as sacrificeBG 4.18Transcendental understanding of actionBG 4.16Transcendental understanding of actionBG 2.47Responsibility without ownership of outcomesBG 3.21Leadership by example

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.