All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

कर्मणा रहितं ज्ञानं पङ्गुना सदृशं भवेत्।
न तेन प्राप्यते किंचित् न च किंचित् प्रसाध्यते॥

Knowledge devoid of action is like a crippled person—unable to achieve or produce anything. True wisdom must lead to effort.

knowledge (279) action (258) inaction (14) result (33) wisdom (1611) futility (143) effort (289) philosophy (290) realization (67) productivity (5)

एवं ज्ञानेन हीनं यत् कर्मान्धेन समं स्मृतम्।
मार्गो वा मार्गलक्ष्यं वा नैव तस्य प्रतीयते॥

Action without knowledge is blind and aimless. One neither perceives the path nor the goal, like walking in darkness.

blind action (1) ignorance (301) goal (14) path (43) knowledge (279) directionless (1) metaphor (1632) darkness (138) karma (500) aim (3)

कर्मणा मनसा वाचा कर्तव्यं कर्म कुर्वतः।
तस्मादेवेष्टसंसिद्धिश् चतुरस्रा प्रजायते॥

Right action should involve deed, mind, and speech. When these align, true success and fulfillment follow.

action (258) mind (176) speech (345) integrity (74) success (142) alignment (15) fulfillment (89) karma (500) intention (29) righteousness (134)

कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिम् आस्थिता जनकादयः।
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि संपश्यन् कर्तुमर्हसि॥

Great beings like Janaka attained perfection through karma. One should act for the welfare of the world.

janaka (3) perfection (22) karma yoga (9) world welfare (1) duty (198) role model (6) leadership (279) ethics (803) service (114) action (258)

कर्मणोऽपि प्रधानत्वं किं कुर्वन्ति शुभा ग्रहाः।
वसिष्ठदत्तलग्नेऽपि जानकी दुःखभागिनी॥

Even when planetary alignments are favorable, karma remains supreme. Despite Vasishtha’s timing, Sita faced sorrow.

fate (402) karma (500) astrology (51) sita (37) sorrow (325) destiny (289) superiority (12) planetary influence (1) choice (37) suffering (358)

कर्मणो यस्य यः कालः तत्कालव्यापिनी तिथिः।
तया कर्माणि कुर्वीत ह्रासवृद्धिं न कारयेत्॥

Actions should be done during their appropriate time; improper timing causes increase or decrease in results.

timing (92) karma (500) action (258) results (13) appropriateness (6) calendar (2) consequence (118) growth (95) decline (52) order (41)

कर्मणो हि प्रधानेन बुद्धिना किं प्रयोजनम्।
पाषाणस्य कुतो बुद्धिस् ततो देवो भविष्यति॥

What use is wisdom without proper action? A stone has no intellect—likewise, actionless intellect is lifeless.

wisdom (1611) action (258) metaphor (1632) stone (3) intellect (106) futility (143) karma (500) purpose (66) realization (67) engagement (13)

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः।
अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः॥

One must understand right action, wrong action, and inaction. The path of karma is subtle and profound.

karma (500) right action (1) wrong action (4) inaction (14) understanding (28) depth (43) subtlety (175) ethics (803) discernment (142) philosophy (290)

कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येद् अकर्मणि च कर्म यः।
स बुद्धिमान् मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्॥

One who sees action in inaction and inaction in action is wise—a true yogi who performs all duties perfectly.

action (258) inaction (14) wisdom (1611) perception (181) yogi (13) karma yoga (9) insight (55) paradox (167) non-duality (25) realization (67)

कर्मण्यकर्मविधिरेष यदाचरन्ति
कर्माणि तत्तदनुबन्धजिहासयेति।
सत्यं तथाप्यभिनवो भविता न बन्धः
प्राचीनबन्धहरणे क इवाभ्युपायः॥

True action is performed with detachment, not desire. Even if results arise, they bind not the wise who act selflessly.

selflessness (65) karma yoga (9) detachment (573) freedom (56) action (258) result (33) wisdom (1611) philosophy (290) bondage (64) liberation (230)