18.19 gyAnam karma cha karthA cha

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Chapter 18

<< Chapter 18 Verse 18

SlOkam – Original

gyAnam karma cha karthA cha thridhaiva guNabhEdhatha: |
prOchyathE guNasankhyAnE yathAvach chruNu thAnyapi ||

word-by-word meaning

guNa sankhyAnE – while counting the effect of qualities (such as sathvam, rajas and thamas)
guNa bhEdhatha: – per the nature of those qualities
gyAnam – knowledge (about the karma to be performed)
karma – the action/ritual (which is performed)
karthA cha – the doer (who performs the karma)
thridhA Eva prOchyathE – are all explained in three different ways individually.
thAni api – Those too
yathAvath SruNu – hear their true nature.

Simple Translation

While counting the effect of qualities (such as sathvam, rajas and thamas) per the nature of those qualities, the three aspects – knowledge (about the karma to be performed), the action/ritual (which is performed) and the doer (who performs the karma), are all explained in three different ways individually. Hear their true nature too from me.

Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam

‘Knowledge and Actor are (each) threefold
as differenced by the Guṇas, declared in the Science of the Guṇas. Hear from Me their true nature as well.’

Knowledge regarding the work (or act) to be performed.

The act or work that is to be performed.

And its Actor is the performer thereof.

Guṇa-saṇkhyāne = When enumerating the varieties of the effects of the Guṇas (or qualities).

Their true nature = The nature of Knowledge etc., as differenced (or affected) by the Guṇas (or qualities).

>> Chapter 18 Verse 20

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