Bhagavad Gītā › Chapter 3 › Verse 22
Bhagavad Gītā 3.22: Even Kṛṣṇa works
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन ।
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥
na me pārthāsti kartavyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana
nānavāptamavāptavyaṃ varta eva ca karmaṇi
Recitation: NehalDaveND (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0, adapted, original recording
Meaning
There is nothing in the three worlds, O Pārtha, that I must do, nor anything unattained that I need to attain; yet I engage in action. Kṛṣṇa applies the teaching of 3.17–3.20 to himself: even one who needs nothing acts, for the sake of the world.
For children
Krishna says: “I don’t need anything at all. But I still keep working, to help everyone.”
Following 3.20–3.21, Kṛṣṇa gives himself as the example of one who acts for the world.
Word by word
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं — There is nothing I must do, Arjuna
- me: for me
- pārtha: son of Pṛthā (Arjuna)
- asti: there is
- kartavya: what must be done, duty
त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन — anywhere in the three worlds
- triṣu: in the three
- loka: world
- kiñcana: anything
नानवाप्तमवाप्तव्यं — nothing I lack that I still need to gain
- anavāpta: not yet gained
- avāptavya: to be gained
वर्त एव च कर्मणि — and yet I keep on working
- varte: I engage, I continue
- eva ca: still, even so
- karman: action, work
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.