Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 16

Chapter 18 – Moksha Sanyasa Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

तत्रैवं सति कर्तारमात्मानं केवलं तु यः ।
पश्यत्यकृतबुद्धित्वान्न स पश्यति दुर्मतिः ॥

Transliteration

tatraivaṃ sati kartāramātmānaṃ kevalaṃ tu yaḥ .
paśyatyakṛtabuddhitvānna sa paśyati durmatiḥ ॥

Meaning

This being so, one who, owing to an untrained understanding, sees the pure Self alone as the doer, that person of perverted intellect does not see truly.

Word meanings

तत्र – there, in that matter
एवम् – thus
सति – being
कर्तारम् – as the doer
आत्मानम् – the Self
केवलम् – alone, the pure (unconditioned)
तु – but
यः – who
पश्यति – sees
अकृतबुद्धित्वात् – owing to an untrained intellect
न – not
सः – he
पश्यति – sees
दुर्मतिः – of perverted understanding

Anvaya (word order)

तत्र एवं सति यः तु अकृतबुद्धित्वात् केवलम् आत्मानं कर्तारं पश्यति, सः दुर्मतिः न पश्यति ।

Explanation

The conclusion of the preceding three verses follows: since action arises from the combination of five causes, the pure Self — kevalam atmanam, distinct from body, senses and mind and free of all limiting adjuncts — cannot be the doer. Yet one who believes, 'I, this Self, do everything,' na pashyati — does not see the truth.

Krishna gives the reason: akrita-buddhitvat — his intellect has not been refined by scripture, a teacher and discrimination. Such an intellect cannot distinguish between body and Self, and superimposes the attributes of the body upon the Self. Just as a person in a moving boat imagines that the trees on the shore are moving, so the ignorant attribute the activities of nature to the Self.

The strong word durmati, 'of perverted understanding', is used because this very error is the root of all sorrow. With 'I am the doer' comes 'I am the enjoyer', and then the whole cycle of pleasure and pain, merit and sin, birth and death is set in motion.

Shankara takes this verse as clear evidence for the non-agency of the Self. Ramanuja, stressing the word kevalam, explains that the deluded one is he who forgets the indwelling guidance of the Supreme and the other causes, and regards himself alone as an independent agent. In both readings the essence is the same: the pride of independent doership is ignorance.

Context

The previous verse said that every action arises from the five causes. This verse says that, in spite of this, regarding the Self alone as the doer is ignorance. The next verse (18.17) explains that one free from ego is not bound even while acting.

Life lesson

The feeling 'I alone do everything' breeds both ego and stress. Seeing yourself as a witness to the flow of action and an instrument of the Divine brings peace. Keep refining your understanding through reflection and study.

Key terms

Kevala atma: The pure Self, free of body, senses and other adjuncts
Akrita-buddhi: One whose intellect is untrained by scripture and discrimination
Durmati: One of perverted or defective understanding
Kartritva-abhimana: The ego-sense 'I am the doer'