kiṁ karma kim akarmeti kavayo ’pyatra mohitāḥ
tat te karma pravakṣhyāmi yaj jñātvā mokṣhyase ’śhubhāt
kim — what;
karma — action;
kim — what;
akarma — inaction;
iti — thus;
kavayaḥ — the wise;
api — even;
atra — in this;
mohitāḥ — are confused;
tat — that;
te — to you;
karma — action;
pravakṣhyāmi — I shall explain;
yat — which;
jñātvā — knowing;
mokṣhyase — you may free yourself;
aśhubhāt — from inauspiciousness
In this verse, Krishna is telling Arjuna that even wise and knowledgeable people sometimes get confused about what is real action and what is just doing nothing (inaction). This confusion can lead to mistakes in how they live their lives. Krishna promises to explain what true action is, and understanding this will help Arjuna and others free themselves from the bad consequences of their actions, often referred to as sins.
To make it clearer, let's think about examples from daily life. You might see someone who is very busy—working hard or rushing around—and think that they're doing a lot. But if their actions are not aligned with good values or positive purposes, then even that busy activity might not be true action.
On the other hand, someone who seems to be doing nothing but is actually thinking deeply, meditating, or making important decisions might be doing something very significant in a different sense.
Krishna's advice here is that we can't just judge based on appearances or the amount of activity; we need to understand the real purpose behind our actions. Every great teacher or genuine devotee from the past has shown us that the best way to act is not just to rush into things on our own but to follow a path that is guided by wisdom and spiritual knowledge. This ensures that our actions lead to good outcomes rather than negative consequences.
In summary, Krishna is highlighting the importance of understanding our actions deeply. By gaining this understanding, we can make choices that help us avoid negative results and move closer to a peaceful and fulfilling life. Krishna will soon explain how we can identify such true actions, and this knowledge is crucial for achieving a state of purity and freedom from regrets or bad karma.