Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 3 › Verse 19
Bhagavad Gītā 3.19: Keep doing good work
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर ।
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ॥
tasmādasaktaḥ satataṃ kāryaṃ karma samācara
asakto hyācarankarma paramāpnoti pūruṣaḥ
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
Therefore, always perform the action that ought to be done, without attachment; for by performing action without attachment, a person attains the Supreme. This draws the practical conclusion of 3.4–3.18 for Arjuna, who is not yet the free person of 3.17: unattached action is itself the path.
For children
Krishna says: “So always do the jobs you should do, and don’t worry about what you get for them. That is the best way to live.”
Kṛṣṇa draws the conclusion for Arjuna: act, but without clinging.
Word by word
तस्मादसक्तः सततं — So, always without clinging
- tasmāt: therefore
- asakta: without clinging
- satatam: always
कार्यं कर्म समाचर — do the work that should be done
- kārya: what should be done
- karman: work, action
- samācara: do (it) well!
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म — for by working without clinging
- ācaran: doing
परमाप्नोति पूरुषः — a person reaches the highest
- para: the highest
- āpnoti: reaches
- pūruṣa: a person
Kṛṣṇa speaks this verse. The Sanskrit is checked against four editions; meanings and word notes are simple learning aids written for MahaPrabha Gurukul, awaiting review by a Sanskrit teacher.