Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 17

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः | अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ||

karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyaṁ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ

The nature of action should be understood, and also the nature of prohibited action, and the nature of inaction. Deep indeed is the nature of action.

Krishna reveals a threefold understanding needed: 'karmaṇo boddhavyam' (action should be understood), 'vikarmaṇaḥ boddhavyam' (prohibited action should be understood), and 'akarmaṇaḥ boddhavyam' (inaction should be understood). This isn't simple—'gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ' (deep is the nature of action). The complexity comes from the fact that what appears as action might be inaction (doing while attached), and what appears as inaction might be action (not doing while free). Prohibited action (vikarma) is another category—actions that harm or violate dharma. Understanding this threefold distinction is essential because confusion leads to bondage. The verse emphasizes that this understanding requires depth—it's not superficial.