Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 18 · Moksha Sannyasa Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 18.13 पञ्चैतानि महाबाहो कारणानि निबोध मे
श्लोक 18.13
पञ्चैतानि महाबाहो कारणानि निबोध मे ।
साङ्ख्ये कृतान्ते प्रोक्तानि सिद्धये सर्वकर्मणाम् ॥
pañcaitāni mahābāho kāraṇāni nibodha me |
sāṅkhye kṛtānte proktāni siddhaye sarvakarmaṇām ||
हिन्दी अर्थ
हे महाबाहो! सभी कर्मों की सिद्धि के लिए सांख्य सिद्धांत में बताए गए इन पाँच कारणों को मुझसे जानो, जिनमें कर्मों का अंत बताया गया है।
Meaning in English
Learn from me, O mighty-armed one, these five causes for the accomplishment of all actions, as declared in the Sankhya doctrine, which brings action to its end.
Bhagavad Gita 18.13 — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| पञ्च | pañca | five |
| एतानि | etāni | these |
| महाबाहो | mahā-bāho | O mighty-armed |
| कारणानि | kāraṇāni | causes |
| निबोध | nibodha | learn |
| मे | me | from me |
| साङ्ख्ये | sāṅkhye | in the Sankhya |
| कृतान्ते | kṛtānte | in the conclusive doctrine |
| प्रोक्तानि | proktāni | declared |
| सिद्धये | siddhaye | for the accomplishment |
| सर्वकर्मणाम् | sarva-karmaṇām | of all actions |
Explanation
Krishna now turns to the question of who really acts. Learn from me, he says, the five causes taught in the Sankhya doctrine for the accomplishment of every action. Understanding these will show that no single agent is the sole author of any deed.
Sāṅkhya here may mean the philosophical school of that name or, more broadly, a body of discerning knowledge. Shankara reads it as the Vedanta, the knowledge that ends all action, taking kṛtānta as the doctrine in which action comes to an end. Ramanuja takes Sankhya as the Upanishadic wisdom about the Self and action. The analysis that follows serves to loosen the ego's claim to be the doer, preparing for the bold statement of 18.17.
भावार्थ
हे महाबाहो, सब कर्मों की सिद्धि के लिए सांख्य के सिद्धान्त में बताए गए इन पाँच कारणों को मुझसे जानो।
Living it today
Any result you achieve has many causes. Remembering that keeps pride and blame in proportion.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 18.13?
Krishna now turns to the question of who really acts. Learn from me, he says, the five causes taught in the Sankhya doctrine for the accomplishment of every action. Understanding these will show that no single agent is the sole author of any deed.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 18.13?
Sri Krishna speaks this verse, in Chapter 18 (Moksha Sannyasa Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 18.13 in daily life?
Any result you achieve has many causes. Remembering that keeps pride and blame in proportion.
Reflected on verse 18.13?
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