Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 3 · Verse 5
BG 3.5
Verse 5 of Chapter 3 — The Path of Action.
na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt | kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛti-jair guṇaiḥ ||
Sanskrit / Transliteration
TRANSLATION
Not even for a moment can anyone remain without doing something; everyone is forced to act by the gunas born of material nature.
EXPLANATION
The impossibility of inaction. Even when the body is still, the gunas operate — breath continues, digestion works, thoughts arise. The mind, by its nature, is always acting. This is why the Gita's advice is not 'stop acting' but 'act rightly.' The person who 'renounces' externally while craving internally is not a renunciant — they are simply acting in a more confused way. The honest path is to acknowledge that action is unavoidable and direct it skillfully. Chapter 3.5 is the philosophical foundation for karma yoga: since you must act, act well.