BG 3.5
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् ।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥
na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt
kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛti-jair guṇaiḥ
kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛti-jair guṇaiḥ
Word-for-word meanings
hi — indeed; na kaścit — no one; jātu tiṣṭhati — can ever remain; kṣaṇam api — even for a moment; akarma-kṛt — without performing action; hi — because; sarvaḥ — everyone; kāryate — is impelled to perform; karma — action; avaśaḥ — helplessly; guṇaiḥ — by the guṇas; prakṛti-jaiḥ — born of material nature.
Translation
Indeed, no one can ever remain even for a moment without performing action, because everyone is impelled to act helplessly by the guṇas born of prakṛti (material nature).