Bhagavad Gita — Key Verse Meanings
भगवद्गीता — प्रमुख श्लोकों का अर्थ
Word-by-Word Meaning of 5 Famous Gita Verses · Class 7-8
Source: Bhagavad Gītā — Chapters 2, 3, 4, 6, 18
Key Points to Remember
- ▸BG 2.47: karmaṇi (Loc.) + eva (only) + adhikāraḥ te (your right) — "Your authority is only in action"
- ▸"Phaleṣu" (in fruits) = Saptamī plural of phala — "never seek authority in results"
- ▸BG 4.7: "yadā yadā" = whenever | "glāniḥ" = decline | "sṛjāmi" = I manifest
- ▸"Mā" = do not (prohibitive particle); "kadācana" = at any time, ever
Translation Practice
The Bhagavad Gita contains 700 verses. These 5 are the most quoted in NCERT, scholarship applications, and everyday Sanskrit learning. Understanding them word-by-word gives you Sanskrit confidence.
BG 2.47 — Karmanye Vadhikaraste
Word by word: karmaṇi (in action, Loc.) + eva (only/indeed) + adhikāraḥ (right/authority, Nom.) + te (your, Gen.) | mā phaleṣu kadācana (never in fruits)
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
karmaṇyevādhikāraste mā phaleṣu kadācana
Your right is only in action, never in its fruits.
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि।
mā karmaphalahetur bhūr mā te saṅgo'stv akarmaṇi
Do not be the cause of action's fruits, and do not let inaction be your attachment.
BG 4.7 — Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya
yadā yadā = whenever | hi = indeed | dharmasya glāniḥ = decline of dharma | bhavati = there is | bhārata = O Bhārata (Arjuna)
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत।
yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata
Whenever and wherever there is a decline of dharma, O Bhārata...
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानम् सृजाम्यहम्।
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānam sṛjāmy aham
...and a rise of adharma, then I manifest Myself.
Exercises (2)
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Word-by-word analysis of BG 2.47
1. "कर्मणि" is in which vibhakti? What does it mean here?
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सप्तमी (Saptamī) — "in action," Locative; the right exists IN the domain of action
2. "एव" in "कर्मण्येव" means:
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"Only / indeed" — it restricts: only in action (not in its fruits)
3. "अधिकारः" + "ते" — translate this phrase.
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"Te" = Ṣaṣṭhī of "tvam" = "your"; adhikāraḥ = right/authority. Together: "your right/authority"
4. "मा फलेषु कदाचन" — mā means "do not." Phaleṣu is Saptamī plural of phala. Translate.
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"Never in the fruits" — do not [have your right] in the fruits/results ever
Exercise 2: Short Answer
Deeper meaning questions
1. Why does the Gita use Saptamī (Locative) for "karmaṇi" and "phaleṣu"? What does this case choice tell us?
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Saptamī = "in/within the domain of." Kṛṣṇa is saying: your jurisdiction EXISTS WITHIN action (not within fruits). The case choice shows the precise boundary of one's authority — it is spatial/domain-wise.
2. BG 4.7 says Kṛṣṇa appears "whenever dharma declines." Name a time in Indian mythology when this happened.
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Examples: Rāma appeared when Rāvaṇa made dharma decline; Kṛṣṇa appeared when the Kauravas wronged the Pāṇḍavas and Draupadī (the Mahābhārata war context).
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