Chapter 3, Verse 24
Karma Yoga — Sanskrit shloka, transliteration, word meanings, English translation, and commentary.
Original Sanskrit verse
Transliteration
Word meanings
utsīdeyuḥ—would perish; ime—all these; lokāḥ—worlds; na—not; kuryām—I perform; karma—prescribed duties; chet—if; aham—I; sankarasya—of uncultured population; cha—and; kartā—responsible; syām—would be; upahanyām—would destroy; imāḥ—all these; prajāḥ—living entities
English translation
These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I would be the author of confusion of castes and destruction of these beings.
— Swami Sivananda
Listen to Shloka 3.24
Commentary
If I did not engage in action; people would also be inactive. They would not do their duties according to the Varnasrama Dharma (code of morals governing their own order and stage of life). Hence confusion of castes would arise. I would have to destroy these beings.
Commentary by Swami Sivananda
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