Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 3, verse 5 · Krishna
Bhagavad Gita 3.5 · Na Hi Kashchitkshanamapi
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् ।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥
na hi kaścitkṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt |
kāryate hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ ||
Translation
No one can remain for even a moment without acting; everyone is driven to act, whether they will it or not, by the gunas (qualities) born of nature (prakriti).
Context
Spoken by Krishna in chapter 3, Karma Yoga — “The Yoga of Action”, which has 43 verses.
Frequently asked questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 3.5 mean?
No one can remain for even a moment without acting; everyone is driven to act, whether they will it or not, by the gunas (qualities) born of nature (prakriti).
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 3.5?
Krishna, speaking to Arjuna, in chapter 3, Karma Yoga (The Yoga of Action).
Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.