श्रीमद् भगवद्गीता

मूल श्लोकः

नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः।

शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः।।3.8।।

Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya

।।3.8।। नियतं नित्यं शास्त्रोपदिष्टम् यो यस्मिन् कर्मणि अधिकृतः फलाय च अश्रुतं तत् नियतं कर्म तत् कुरु त्वं हे अर्जुन यतः कर्म ज्यायः अधिकतरं फलतः हि यस्मात् अकर्मणः अकरणात् अनारम्भात्। कथम् शरीरयात्रा शरीरस्थितिः अपि च ते तव न प्रसिध्येत् प्रसिद्धिं न गच्छेत् अकर्मणः अकरणात्। अतः दृष्टः कर्माकर्मणोर्विशेषो लोके।।यच्च मन्यसे बन्धार्थत्वात् कर्म न कर्तव्यमिति तदप्यसत्। कथम्

English Translation By Swami Gambirananda

3.8 You perform the obligatory duties, for action is superior to inaction. And, through inaction, even the maintenance of your body will not be possible.

English Translation Of Sri Shankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary By Swami Gambirananda

3.8 Tvam, you, O Arjuna; kuru, perform; niyatam, the obligatory; karma, duties, those daily obligatory duties (nitya-karmas) or which one is competent (according to the scriptures), and which are not heard of [although no result of daily obligatory duties is mentioned in the scriptures, still Sankaracarya holds that it is either heaven or purification of the heart, because something done must have its conseence.-Tr.] as productive of any result; hi, for, from the point of view of result; karma, action; is jyayah, superior; akarmanah, to inaction, to non-performance (of duties). Why? Ca, and; akarmanah, through inaction; api, even; te sarira-yatra, the maintenance of your body; na prasiddhyet, will not be possible. Therefore, the distinction between action and in action is abvious in this world. 'And as regards your ideea that action should not be udnertaken because it leads to bondage-that too is wrong.' How?