SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
karmaNO hyapi bOdhdhavyam bOdhdhavyam cha vikarmaNa: |
akarmaNaS cha bOdhdhavyam gahanA karmaNO gathi: ||
word-by-word meaning
hi – Because
karmaNa: api – in the nature of karma
bOdhdhavyam – there are aspects to be known;
vikarmaNa: – in different types of karma
bOdhdhavyam – there are aspects to be known.
akarmaNa: cha – in gyAna (which is part of karma yOga)
bOdhdhavyam – there are aspects to be known.
(Thus)
karmaNa: gathi: – that which is to be understood in karma
gahanA – difficult to comprehend.
Simple Translation
Because there are aspects to be known in the nature of karma, in different types of karma and in gyAna (which is part of karma yOga), that which is to be understood in karma is difficult to comprehend.
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘Verily, karma has to be understood, vi-karma has to be understood, and a-karma, as well, has to be understood. Intricate, (or incomprehensible) is the way of karma‘
Inasmuch as:
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The nature of karma or action that is means to moksha, ought to be known; inasmuch as:
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Vikarma, or vividha-karma, or variety of actions, —comprised of the nitya[1. The daily duties (nitya) are Snāna, Sandhyā, Vaiśvadeva-brahma-yajña, Deva-ṛshi-pitṛi-tarpaṇa, and Aupāsana. The occassioned (naimittika) are the Śrāddhās, Tarpaṇas, etc., performed on the Eclipse-day, Saṇkranti, Mahālaya, etc., Pūrva-Mīmāmsa says: ‘nitya naimittika karmācharaṇe phalam nāsti; akaraṇe pratyavāyaḥ’.](daily) naimittika[2. The daily duties (nitya) are Snāna, Sandhyā, Vaiśvadeva-brahma-yajña, Deva-ṛshi-pitṛi-tarpaṇa, and Aupāsana. The occassioned (naimittika) are the Śrāddhās, Tarpaṇas, etc., performed on the Eclipse-day, Saṇkranti, Mahālaya, etc., Pūrva-Mīmāmsa says: ‘nitya naimittika karmācharaṇe phalam nāsti; akaraṇe pratyavāyaḥ’.](incidental) etc., done with some object (of enjoyment) in view (kāma-rūpa), and demanding for their due performance, the earning of money and other activities,— ought to be known; and inasmuch as :
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a-karma or jñāna (or wisdom), ought to be known, – therefore, the Path of Karma is abstruse to be understood by the moksha-seeker.
Why vi-karma, —that connotes the performance of motived, daily, casual etc., acts, involving the earning of money and a variety of other acts—ought to be known by the moksha-aspirer is, to know that the variety therein consists in each act having a specific fruit promised therefor, but he ought to perform them all with the one understanding that they all have one uniform fulfillment in his case, as Śāstras teach, viz: the achievement of moksha. This is the ‘fixed or cultured understanding’ (vyavasāyātmikā buddhi) (ii-41) that was inculcated already, and so the subject is not expatiated upon here.
What is to be known as regards karma and a-karma, —is now stated:—
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