Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 22

Chapter 3 – Karma Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन ।
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥

Transliteration

na me pārthāsti kartavyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana .
nānavāptamavāptavyaṃ varta eva ca karmaṇi ॥

Meaning

O Partha, in the three worlds there is nothing that I am bound to do, nor anything unattained that I need to attain; yet I engage in action.

Word meanings

न – not
मे – for Me
पार्थ – O Partha
अस्ति – is
कर्तव्यम् – duty to be done
त्रिषु लोकेषु – in the three worlds
किञ्चन – anything
न अनवाप्तम् – nothing unattained
अवाप्तव्यम् – to be attained
वर्ते – I engage
एव च – yet, still
कर्मणि – in action

Anvaya (word order)

पार्थ, त्रिषु लोकेषु मे किञ्चन कर्तव्यं न अस्ति, अवाप्तव्यम् अनवाप्तं न (अस्ति); (तथापि) कर्मणि वर्ते एव च ।

Explanation

Now the Lord makes Himself the example. He is all-powerful, wholly fulfilled and master of creation. In the three worlds He has neither any duty nor any object to gain that He does not already possess. Yet He is engaged in action — sustaining the world, protecting dharma, showing grace to devotees.

The import is profound. If one can act without desire to obtain, then the basis of action need not be lack; it can also be fullness. God's action is lila, play, with no compulsion or greed. Shankara says this example proves that acting is not a mark of ignorance, and that one who is satisfied in the Self too may act for the good of the world.

Ramanuja says the Lord's avataric deeds are for the protection of devotees, not for any selfish end. Thus He shows Arjuna that action and fullness are not opposed.

To Arjuna, who was thinking that when nothing is left to desire there is no reason to act, the answer comes: the cause of action can be not only desire but also duty, compassion and the welfare of the world.

Context

After speaking in 3.21 of how the world imitates the eminent, the Lord presents Himself as the model. In 3.23–3.24 He will tell what harm would come to the world if He did not act.

Life lesson

Action need not spring from lack; it can also spring from abundance. When we work not to get but to give and to sustain, action becomes joy.

Key terms

Kartavya: that which ought to be done
Avaptavya: that which is to be attained
Triloka: the three worlds: earth, mid-region and heaven