Verse 3.25

सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।

कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसङ्ग्रहम् ॥

3.25

Transliteration

saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvāṃso yathā kurvanti bhārata |

kuryādvidvāṃstathāsaktaścikīrṣurlokasaṅgraham ||

By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · @indic-transliteration/sanscript 1.3.3

Translation

As the ignorant men act from attachment to action, O Bharata (Arjuna), so should the wise act without attachment, wishing the welfare of the world.

From the owner's sheet · +1 more

Word by word

attached
to action
the unwise
as
act
O Bharata (Arjuna)

should act
the wise
so
unattached
wishing to bring about
the welfare of the world

By Sanskrit System · Machine draft · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08

Explanation

Krishna compares the wise and the unwise. Outwardly both act, and both may act with the same energy. The difference lies within. The unwise act because they are attached to their work and its results. The wise act without attachment, moved by the wish to sustain the world, lokasaṅgraha. The verse makes clear that wisdom does not show itself in less activity but in a different motive. Arjuna, if he understands, will not fight less vigorously than an ordinary warrior, but he will fight with a free mind.