Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18, Verse 15

Contents

1 शरीरवाङ्मनोभिर्यत्कर्म प्रारभते नर: |
2 न्याय्यं वा विपरीतं वा पञ्चैते तस्य हेतव: ||
3 भावार्थ:
4 Translation

शरीरवाङ्मनोभिर्यत्कर्म प्रारभते नर: |

न्याय्यं वा विपरीतं वा पञ्चैते तस्य हेतव: ||

śharīra-vāṅ-manobhir yat karma prārabhate naraḥ
nyāyyaṁ vā viparītaṁ vā pañchaite tasya hetavaḥ

भावार्थ:

मनुष्य मन, वाणी और शरीर से शास्त्रानुकूल अथवा विपरीत जो कुछ भी कर्म करता है- उसके ये पाँचों कारण हैं॥15॥

Translation

These five are the contributory factors for whatever action is performed, whether proper or improper, with body, speech, or mind.

English Translation Of Sri Shankaracharya’s Sanskrit Commentary By Swami Gambirananda

18.15 Yat, whatever; karma, action; narah, a man; prarabhate, performs; with these three-sarira-van-manobhih, with the body, speech and mind; be it nyayyam, just, rigtheous, conforming to the scriptures; va, or; viparitam, its reverse, not conforming to the scriptures, unrighteous; and even such activities like closing the eyes etc. whch are conseent on the fact of living (i.e. instinctive acts)-they also are certainly the result of righteous and unrighteous acts done in earlier lives, and hence they are understood by the very, use of the words ‘just and its reverse’-; tasya, of it, of all activities without exception; ete, these; panca, five, as mentioned; are the hetavah, causes.

Objection: Well, are not the locus etc. the cause of all actions? Why is it said, ‘৷৷.performs with the body, speech and mind’?

Reply: This fault does not arise. All actions described as ‘enjoined’ or ‘prohibited’ are mainly based on the three, body etc. Seeing, hearing, etc., which are characteristics of life and are subsidiaries to these (body etc.) [Seeing etc. are accomplished by the eye etc., which are part and parcel of the body etc.] , are divided into three groups and spoken of in, ‘performs with the body,’ etc. Even at the time of reaping the fruits (of actions), they are experienced mainly through these (three). Hence, there is no contradiction with the assertion that the five are the causes.