February 20,2013.Day 176 . BHAGAVAD GITA - As It Is.Original by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada. Chapter 4.TEXT 17

Chapter 4. Transcendental Knowledge

TEXT 17

karmano hy api boddhavyam
boddhavyam ca vikarmanah
akarmanas ca boddhavyam
gahana karmano gatih

SYNONYMS

karmanah--working order; hi--certainly; api--also; boddhavyam--should be understood; boddhavyam--to be understood; ca--also;vikarmanah--forbidden work; akarmanah--inaction; ca--also;boddhavyam--should be understood; gahana--very difficult; karmanah--working order; gatih--to enter in to.

TRANSLATION

The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is, and what inaction is.

PURPORT

If one is serious about liberation from material bondage, one has to understand the distinctions between action, inaction and unauthorized actions. One has to apply oneself to such an analysis of action, reaction and perverted actions because it is a very difficult subject matter. To understand Krsna consciousness and action according to the modes, one has to learn one's relationship with the Supreme; i.e., one who has learned perfectly knows that every living entity is the eternal servitor of the Lord and that consequently one has to act in Krsna consciousness. The entireBhagavad-gita is directed toward this conclusion. Any other conclusions, against this consciousness and its attendant reactions, are vikarmas, or prohibited actions. To understand all this one has to associate with authorities in Krsna consciousness and learn the secret from them; this is as good as learning from the Lord directly. Otherwise, even the most intelligent person will be bewildered.