Word meanings
- na
- not
- karmaṇām
- of actions
- anārambhāt
- by abstaining from
- naiṣkarmyam
- freedom from karmic reactions
- puruṣaḥ
- a person
- aśnute
- attains
- na
- not
- ca
- and
- sannyasanāt
- by renunciation
- eva
- only
- siddhim
- perfection
- samadhigacchati
- attains
Translations
Man does not reach actionlessness by not performing actions; nor does he attain perfection by mere renunciation.
No one can attain freedom from action by abstaining from action, nor can they reach perfection by simply not acting.
A person does not attain freedom from action by abstaining from action; nor does he attain fulfillment merely through renunciation.
मनुष्य न तो कर्मोंका आरम्भ किये बिना निष्कर्मताको प्राप्त होता है और न कर्मोंके त्यागमात्रसे सिद्धिको ही प्राप्त होता है।Commentary
Actionlessness (Naishkarmyam) and perfection (Siddhi) are synonymous. The sage who has attained to perfection or reached the state of actionlessness rests in his own essential nature as Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute (Satchidananda Svarupa). He has neither necessity nor desire for action as a means to an end. He has perfect satisfaction in the Self. One attains to the state of actionlessness by gaining the knowledge of the Self. If a man simply sits iet by abandoning action you cannot say that he has attained to the state of actionlessness.
His mind will be planning, scheming and speculating. Thought is real action. The sage who is free from affirmative thoughts, wishes, and likes and dislikes, who has the knowledge of the Self can be said to have attained to the state of actionlessness. No one can reach perfection or freedom from action or knowledge of the Self by mere renunciation or by simply giving up activities without possessing the knowledge of the Self. (Cf.XVIII.49).