Word meanings
- na
- not
- hi
- certainly
- kaścit
- anyone
- kṣaṇam
- a moment
- api
- even
- jātu
- ever
- tiṣṭhati
- can remain
- akarma-kṛt
- without action
- kāryate
- are performed
- hi
- certainly
- avaśaḥ
- helpless
- karma
- work
- sarvaḥ
- all
- prakṛti-jaiḥ
- born of material nature
- guṇaiḥ
- by the qualities
Translations
Verily, no one can remain for even a moment without performing action; for everyone is made to act helplessly, indeed, by the qualities born of Nature.
He cannot remain inactive even for a moment, for the qualities of Nature will compel him to act, whether he wills it or not.
For no one ever remains even for a moment without doing work, for all are made to work under compulsion by the gunas born of Nature.
कोई भी मनुष्य किसी भी अवस्थामें क्षणमात्र भी कर्म किये बिना नहीं रह सकता; क्योंकि (प्रकृतिके) परवश हुए सब प्राणियोंसे प्रकृतिजन्य गुण कर्म कराते हैं।Commentary
The Gunas (alities of Nature) are three, viz.? Sattva? Rajas and Tamas. Sattva is harmony or light or purity Rajas is passion or motion Tamas is inertia or darkness. Sattvic actions help a man to attain to Moksha. Rajasic and Tamasic actions bind a man to Samsara. These alities cannot affect a man who has knowledge of the Self. He has crossed over these alities. He has become a Gunatita (one who has transcended the alities of Nature). The ignorant man who has no knowledge of the Self and who is swayed by Avidya or nescience is driven helplessly to action by the Gunas.
(Cf.IV.16?XVIII.11).