Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingनियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः।
शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः
niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ
śharīra-yātrāpi cha te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaYou should perform your obligatory duties, for action is superior to inaction. Moreover, even the maintenance of your body will not be possible without action.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
तुम (अपने) नियत (कर्तव्य) कर्म करो क्योंकि अकर्म से श्रेष्ठ कर्म है। तुम्हारे अकर्म होने से (तुम्हारा) शरीर निर्वाह भी नहीं सिद्ध होगा।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiनियतङ् कुरु कर्मत् वम्
कर्मज् यायोह् यकर् मणः
शरीर यात्रापि च ते
नप्र सिद् ध्येद कर्मणः
॥ ८ ॥
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
padārthaniyatamconstantly
kuruperform
karmaVedic duties
tvamyou
karmaaction
jyāyaḥsuperior
hicertainly
akarmaṇaḥthan inaction
śharīrabodily
yātrāmaintenance
apieven
chaand
teyour
na prasiddhyetwould not be possible
akarmaṇaḥinaction
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA3.8Why is action superior to inaction, down to the level of bare survival?
You should perform your obligatory duties, for action is superior to inaction. Moreover, even the maintenance of your body will not be possible without action.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.