Item 20 in Bhagavad Gita's Twenty-Six Divine Qualities

Steadiness

Avoid restless fickleness and remain steady in worthy action.

Position
20
Form
Mixed formulation
Obligation
Context-dependent
Wording status
Translation
Intended audience
Readers and practitioners cultivating disciplined and liberating character
Last reviewed
28 June 2027

Names and terminology

Canonical name: Acāpalam

Original term: Acāpalam

Transliteration: Acāpalam

Source wording

<p>Avoid restless fickleness and remain steady in worthy action.</p><p><em>Editorial paraphrase; consult the linked source for full wording and context.</em></p>

Translation

Literal meaning

Avoid restless fickleness and remain steady in worthy action.

Broader interpretation

Avoid restless fickleness and remain steady in worthy action.

Historical context

This principle belongs to Bhagavad Gita's Twenty-Six Divine Qualities and must be read within that framework's setting.

Practical meaning

Avoid restless fickleness and remain steady in worthy action.

Ethical purpose

Avoid restless fickleness and remain steady in worthy action.

Exceptions and disputes

Translation and application vary; each quality should be applied with evidence, proportionality and attention to competing duties.

Variations across schools or traditions

Translations divide and render several Sanskrit terms differently; this catalogue follows the standard twenty-six-term enumeration.

Modern application

Avoid restless fickleness and remain steady in worthy action. Modern application should consider consent, evidence, proportionality, power and consequences.

Criticism and difficult cases

Translation and application vary; each quality should be applied with evidence, proportionality and attention to competing duties.

Truth By Reason analysis

Avoid restless fickleness and remain steady in worthy action. Application should preserve the ethical purpose while avoiding coercion, discrimination and preventable harm.

Ethical themes

  • Wisdom
  • Self-control

Sources