कर्मण्यो गुणवान् कालो द्रव्यत: स्वत एव वा । यतो निवर्तते कर्म स दोषोऽकर्मक: स्मृत: ॥ ९ ॥
karmaṇyo guṇavān kālo dravyataḥ svata eva vā yato nivartate karma sa doṣo ’karmakaḥ smṛtaḥ
- karmaṇyaḥ
- suitable for executing one’s prescribed duty
- guṇavān
- pure
- kālaḥ
- time
- dravyataḥ
- by achievement of auspicious objects
- svataḥ
- by its own nature
- eva
- indeed
- vā
- or
- yataḥ
- due to which (time)
- nivartate
- is impeded
- karma
- one’s duty
- saḥ
- this (time)
- doṣaḥ
- impure
- akarmakaḥ
- inappropriate for working properly
- smṛtaḥ
- is considered
A specific time is considered pure when it is appropriate, either by its own nature or through achievement of suitable paraphernalia, for the performance of one’s prescribed duty. That time which impedes the performance of one’s duty is considered impure.