Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13, Verse 21

Chapter 13 – Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते ।
पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते ॥

Transliteration

kāryakāraṇakartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtirucyate .
puruṣaḥ sukhaduḥkhānāṃ bhoktṛtve heturucyate ॥

Meaning

Prakriti is said to be the cause in producing the body and the instruments and in their activity; the Purusha is said to be the cause in the experiencing of pleasure and pain.

Word meanings

कार्य – effect, the body and its constituents
कारण – instruments: senses, mind and intellect
कर्तृत्वे – in producing and in acting
हेतुः – the cause
प्रकृतिः – Prakriti, nature
उच्यते – is said to be
पुरुषः – the Purusha, the conscious self
सुखदुःखानाम् – of pleasures and pains
भोक्तृत्वे – in the experiencing
हेतुः – the cause
उच्यते – is said to be

Anvaya (word order)

कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे प्रकृतिः हेतुः उच्यते । सुखदुःखानाम् भोक्तृत्वे पुरुषः हेतुः उच्यते ।

Explanation

Having declared both Prakriti and Purusha beginningless, Krishna now divides their roles. Karya, effect, refers to the body and its elements; karana, instrument, refers to the means of action: the ten senses, mind, intellect and ego. Bringing these into being and setting them in motion is the work of Prakriti. Walking, speaking, thinking and deciding are all movements of the gunas. Chapter 3 said the same: all actions are performed by the gunas of nature (3.27).

The experience of pleasure and pain, bhoktritva, belongs to the Purusha. Inert matter cannot feel anything; experience requires consciousness. So it is the conscious principle that becomes the enjoyer. Yet, as the next verse will show, even this role of enjoyer arises only through association with nature.

Shankara holds that the Self is in truth neither doer nor enjoyer; even enjoyership is superimposed on it through ignorance, as consciousness is reflected in the intellect. Ramanuja regards the individual soul as a real knower and experiencer, who becomes subject to pleasure and pain only through embodiment, and whose agency ultimately depends on the Lord's sanction. Madhva likewise accepts the soul as a real experiencer while naming the Lord as the supreme mover.

This division is very practical. One who sees that actions are carried out by nature is saved from the pride of thinking I did it. One who sees that suffering is rooted in identification with nature begins to loosen that identification.

Context

Krishna is teaching Arjuna. Verse 13.20 stated that Prakriti and Purusha are beginningless and that all changes arise from Prakriti. This verse assigns their roles, and 13.22 will explain why the Purusha becomes an enjoyer and what causes rebirth.

Life lesson

Actions are carried out by body, mind and senses, so pride in them is misplaced. We carry the weight of pleasure and pain because we identify ourselves with nature. Remembering this, we can act fully while remaining light within.

Key terms

Karya: the effect: the body and its elements
Karana: the instruments of action: senses, mind, intellect
Kartritva: agency, the state of being a doer
Bhoktritva: enjoyership, the experiencing of pleasure and pain