Bhagavad Gita 13.21कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते।पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते ॥
kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛitve hetuḥ prakṛitir uchyate
puruṣhaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṁ bhoktṛitve hetur uchyate
Sanskrit recitation
Matter, spirit, and freedom · 13.19–13.35 · Teaching
Translation
In the production of the effect and the cause, Nature (matter) is said to be the cause; in the experience of pleasure and pain, the soul is said to be the one responsible.
Hindi translation
प्रकृति और पुरुष -- दोनोंको ही तुम अनादि समझो और विकारों तथा गुणोंको भी प्रकृतिसे ही उत्पन्न समझो। कार्य और करणके द्वारा होनेवाली क्रियाओंको उत्पन्न करनेमें प्रकृति हेतु कही जाती है और सुखदुःखोंके भोक्तापनमें पुरुष हेतु कहा जाता है।
Meaning
Pleasure and pain are the fruits of virtuous and vicious actions. The force of desire acts on the mind and the mind impels the senses to act to get the objects of desire. Good and evil actions proceed from Nature and lead to happiness or misery. Evil actions produce misery and sorrow. Virtuous actions cause happiness and joy. The soul is the enjoyer. The wife works and prepares nice, palatable dishes the huand silently enjoys the fruits of her labour. He sits quietly and eats them to his hearts content. Even so Nature works and the soul experiences the fruits of Her labour, viz., pleasure and pain.When harmony predominates, virtuous actions are performed. When there is a preponderance of Rajas, both virtuous and vicious actions are performed. When Tamas predominates, sinful, unlawful and unrighteous actions are done.In the place of Kaarana (कारण) which means cause, some read Karana (करण) which means instrument such as the five organs of knowledge, five organs of action, mind, intellect and egoism (thirteen principles located in the body).Karya The effect, viz., the physical body. The five elements which form the body and the five senses, and which form the senseobjects which are born of Nature come under the term effect
After Swami Sivananda
Matter, spirit, and freedom· 13.19–13.35→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 13.19Thus, the field, as well as knowledge and the knowable, have been briefly stated. My…
- 13.20Know that Nature (matter) and the Spirit are both beginningless, and know also that all…
13.21In the production of the effect and the cause, Nature (matter) is said to be the cause; in…
- 13.22The soul seated in Nature experiences the qualities born of Nature; attachment to the…
- 13.23The Supreme Soul in this body is also called the observer, the permitter, the sustainer,…
- 13.24He who thus knows the Spirit and Matter together with their qualities, in whatever…
- 13.25Some behold the Self within themselves through meditation, others through the Yoga of…
- 13.26Others, too, who do not know thus, worship, having heard of It from others; they, too,…
- 13.27Wherever a being is born, whether unmoving or moving, know thou, O best of the Bharatas…
- 13.28He who sees the Supreme Lord existing truly in all beings, the imperishable within the…
- 13.29For he who truly sees the same Lord dwelling everywhere does not destroy the Self by the…
- 13.30He sees, who sees that all actions are performed solely by Nature and that the Self is…
- 13.31When a person sees all beings as resting in the One and emanating from the One alone, they…
- 13.32Being without beginning, devoid of any qualities, the Supreme Self, imperishable, though…
- 13.33As the all-pervading ether is not tainted, due to its subtlety, so the Self seated…
- 13.34Just as the one sun illuminates the entire world, so too does the Lord of the field…
- 13.35They who, by the eye of knowledge, perceive the distinction between the field and its…
Word-by-word→
- kārya
- effect
- hetuḥ
- is responsible
- uchyate
- is said to be
- kāraṇa
- cause
- kartṛitve
- in the matter of creation
- bhoktṛitve
- in experiencing
- puruṣhaḥ
- the individual soul
- prakṛitiḥ
- the material energy
- sukha-duḥkhānām
- of happiness and distress
Themes
Related verses
- 2.33But if you will not fight this righteous war, then having abandoned your own duty and…
- 4.9He who thus knows, in their true light, My divine birth and actions, having abandoned the…
- 13.13I will declare that which is to be known, knowing which one attains immortality; the…
- 18.8He who abandons action out of fear of bodily trouble (because it is painful), does not…