ब्रह्मोवाच
अवश्यं कर्म कर्तव्यं वेदोक्तं हि तवाज्ञया ।
वेदोक्तं तत्कर्म कुर्वन् कथं मुच्येत कर्मभिः ॥
Brahma said:
By Your command, the actions prescribed in the Vedas must certainly be performed. But how can one who performs those Vedic actions be freed from them?
brahmovāca
avaśyaṃ karma kartavyaṃ vedoktaṃ hi tavājñayā|
vedoktaṃ tatkarma kurvan kathaṃ mucyeta karmabhiḥ
अवश्यम् · avaśyam — certainly
कर्म · karma — action
कर्तव्यम् · kartavyam — must be done
वेदोक्तम् · vedoktam — prescribed by the Vedas
हि · hi — indeed
तव · tava — your
आज्ञया · ājñayā — by command
कुर्वन् · kurvan — performing
कथम् · katham — how
मुच्येत · mucyeta — can one be freed
कर्मभिः · karmabhiḥ — from actions
तव आज्ञया वेदोक्तं कर्म अवश्यं कर्तव्यं हि। वेदोक्तं तत् कर्म कुर्वन् जनः कर्मभिः कथं मुच्येत?
certainly · action · must be done · prescribed by the Vedas · indeed · your · by command · performing · how · can one be freed · from actions
Brahma initiates the dialogue by acknowledging the authority of the Vedas, setting the stage for the Lord to clarify the relationship between Vedic duty and liberation. This verse highlights the fundamental tension between performing required actions and seeking freedom from them.
