"Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam" is a definition of Yoga, given in

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Accepted Answer

The correct option is (1):
The phrase "Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam" is a celebrated definition of Yoga, literally translating to "Yoga is skill in action" or "Excellence in action is Yoga." This profound statement is made by Lord Krishna to the warrior Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, specifically in Chapter 2, Verse 50. It serves as the core principle of Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action. The teaching emphasizes that a true spiritual state is attained by executing one’s prescribed duties with maximum efficiency, skill, and a detached mindset, without being concerned about the success or failure of the outcome, thus maintaining inner peace and equanimity.

The incorrect option is (2):
The Mahabharata is the expansive Sanskrit epic poem detailing the history of the Kuru dynasty and the Kurukshetra War. While the Bhagavad Gita (the text containing the phrase) is indeed an integral part of the Mahabharata—it forms chapters 25-42 of the Bhishma Parva—the full Mahabharata epic is a vast narrative, not a philosophical treatise like the Gita itself. Therefore, the phrase is correctly attributed to the specific discourse, the Bhagavad Gita, which provides the philosophical definition.

The incorrect option is (3):
The Ramayana is the other great Sanskrit epic, which chronicles the life of Lord Rama and exemplifies the concept of *Dharma* (righteousness and duty). While the Ramayana is a foundational text for Hindu ethics and morality, it does not contain the systematic philosophical discourses on the various paths of Yoga (Karma, Bhakti, Jnana) that are central to the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita.

The incorrect option is (4):
The Yoga Sutras is the classical text on yoga compiled by Sage Patanjali, which is the foundational text for Ashtanga (Eight-limbed) Yoga. Patanjali’s famous definition of yoga is distinctly different and more psychological: *"Yogas Chitta Vritti Nirodhah,"* which means "Yoga is the cessation of the modifications (fluctuations) of the mind." This definition focuses on meditative control, making it conceptually distinct from the Gita's definition of "skill in action."