Yathora

The Gita · Chapter 18

Bhagavad Gita 18.13

पञ्चैतानि महाबाहो कारणानि निबोध मे।सांख्ये कृतान्ते प्रोक्तानि सिद्धये सर्वकर्मणाम्॥

pañchaitāni mahā-bāho kāraṇāni nibodha me sānkhye kṛitānte proktāni siddhaye sarva-karmaṇām

Translation

These five causes, O mighty-armed, learn of Me as declared in the Sâñkhya system for the accomplishment of all actions:

What it means

Learn from Me the five causes for the accomplishment of all actions, as declared in the Sankhya. Before judging any deed, count its authors. No action has a single maker.

Try this today

The anatomy of any action: five factors, no more.

Something to reflect on

When I judge my last deed, did I count all five of its authors?

Read it in Yathora
← 18.1218.14 →

Translation by Annie Besant (1905, public domain). The meanings are original to Yathora, drawn from Shankara’s commentary.