Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingकर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः।
अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः
karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ cha vikarmaṇaḥ
akarmaṇaśh cha boddhavyaṁ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaFor there is something to be known even about action, and something to be known about prohibited action; and something needs to be known about inaction. The true nature of action is inscrutable.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
कर्म का (स्वरूप) जानना चाहिये और विकर्म का (स्वरूप) भी जानना चाहिये ; (बोद्धव्यम्) तथा अकर्म का भी (स्वरूप) जानना चाहिये (क्योंकि) कर्म की गति गहन है।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiकर्म णोह् यपि बोद्धव् यम्
बोद्धव्यञ् च वि कर्मणः
अकर्म णश्च बोद्धव्यम्
गहना कर्मणो गतिः
॥ १७ ॥
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
padārthakarmaṇaḥrecommended action
hicertainly
apialso
boddhavyamshould be known
boddhavyammust understand
chaand
vikarmaṇaḥforbidden action
akarmaṇaḥinaction
chaand
boddhavyammust understand
gahanāprofound
karmaṇaḥof action
gatiḥthe true path
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA4.17Why must action, forbidden action and inaction each be understood separately?
For there is something to be known even about action, and something to be known about prohibited action; and something needs to be known about inaction. The true nature of action is inscrutable.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.