evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ kuru karmaiva tasmāt tvaṁ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṁ kṛtam
"Knowing this, the ancient seekers of liberation also performed action. Therefore, you too should act, following the example of those ancients."
What This Means:
The ancient sages who sought liberation—they understood this teaching and still performed action. They didn't become passive. So Arjuna should follow their example: understand the secret of action, then act. Action informed by knowledge is the path.
Going Deeper:
'Mumukshu' (seekers of liberation) didn't use knowledge as an excuse to avoid action—they acted. 'Purvaih purvataram' (done by the ancient ones of ancient times) emphasizes this is time-tested wisdom. The instruction 'kuru karma eva' (do perform action) is emphatic. Krishna repeatedly pulls Arjuna away from the temptation to withdraw into inaction.
How To Apply This:
Don't use spiritual understanding to justify inaction. The greatest sages were active—they taught, served, created. Your deepening wisdom should make you more effective in the world, not less. Retreat into pure contemplation might be avoidance disguised as spirituality.
Key Sanskrit Terms: