Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 3, verse 20 · Krishna
Bhagavad Gita 3.20 · Karmanaiva Hi
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः ।
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि संपश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥
karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhimāsthitā janakādayaḥ |
lokasaṃgrahamevāpi saṃpaśyankartumarhasi ||
Translation
It was by action alone that Janaka and others attained perfection. And with an eye to holding the world together, you too should act.
Context
Spoken by Krishna in chapter 3, Karma Yoga — “The Yoga of Action”, which has 43 verses.
Frequently asked questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 3.20 mean?
It was by action alone that Janaka and others attained perfection. And with an eye to holding the world together, you too should act.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 3.20?
Krishna, speaking to Arjuna, in chapter 3, Karma Yoga (The Yoga of Action).
Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.