Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 3, Verse 1

अर्जुन उवाच । ज्यायसी चेत्कर्मणस्ते मता बुद्धिर्जनार्दन । तत्किं कर्मणि घोरे मां नियोजयसि केशव

arjuna uvāca | jyāyasī cetkarmaṇaste matā buddhirjanārdana | tatkiṃ karmaṇi ghore māṃ niyojayasi keśava

Translation

If it be thought by Thee that knowledge is superior to action, O Janārdana, why then dost Thou, O Keśava, direct me to this terrible action?

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

jyāyasī

superior

cet

if

karmaṇaḥ

than action

te

of (by) thee

matā

thought

buddhiḥ

knowledge

janārdana

O Janardana

tat

then

kim

why

karmaṇi

in action

ghore

(in) terrible

mām

me

niyojayasi

(thou) engagest

keśava

O Keshava

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

Arjuna is troubled: the Lord previously declared knowledge superior to action, yet now commands him to this terrible action of fighting. If knowledge be the higher path, why does the Lord direct him to action? Arjuna's question implies the impossibility of one person devoting himself simultaneously to both knowledge and action.