Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingयदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः
yadi hyahaṁ na varteyaṁ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣhyāḥ pārtha sarvaśhaḥ
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaFor, O Partha, if at any time I do not continue vigilantly in action, people will follow My path in every way.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
यदि मैं सावधान हुआ (अतन्द्रित:) कदाचित कर्म में न लगा रहूँ तो, हे पार्थ ! सब प्रकार से मनुष्य मेरे मार्ग (र्वत्म) का अनुसरण करेंगे।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiयदिह् यहन् न वर्तेयम्
जातु कर्मण् यतन् द्रितः
मम वर्त्मा नु वर्तन् ते
मनुष्या# पार्थ सर्व शः
॥ २३ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthayadiif
hicertainly
ahamI
nanot
varteyamthus engage
jātuever
karmaṇiin the performance of prescribed duties
atandritaḥcarefully
mamamy
vartmapath
anuvartantefollow
manuṣhyāḥall men
pārthaArjun, the son of Pritha
sarvaśhaḥin all respects
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA3.23Then why does Kṛṣṇa keep acting, vigilantly and without pause?
For, O Partha, if at any time I do not continue vigilantly in action, people will follow My path in every way.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.