BG 3.23

यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेयं जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः । मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥

yadi hy ahaṃ na varteyaṃ jātu karmaṇy atandritaḥ | mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ||

"If even I stopped acting, humans would follow. The great one's withdrawal is never neutral."

All public-domain translations

5 translations · all pre-1928 or released to public domain · sources

Shankaracharya's commentary, trans. Alladi Mahadeva Sastry (1897)

For if I did not engage in action tirelessly, men in every way would follow My path, O son of Pritha.

For should I not engage in action, unwearied, at any time, men would in every way follow My path, O Partha.

For if I did not perform my actions, men would follow my example everywhere, O Partha.

For, if I did not act at all, O Pritha's son! men everywhere would straight Follow my path.

For if ever I did not engage in action without carelessness, men would follow My path on all sides, O son of Pritha.