18.30 pravruththim cha nivruththim cha

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

Chapter 18

<< Chapter 18 Verse 29

SlOkam – Original

pravruththim cha nivruththim cha kAryAkAryE bhayAbhayE |
bandham mOksham cha yA vEththi budhdhi: sA pArtha sAthvikI ||

word-by-word meaning

pArtha – Oh son of kunthI!
pravruththim cha – the righteous acts which are means for worldly wealth
nivruththim cha – the righteous acts which are means for salvation
kArya akAryE – do’s and dont’s (for those who are focussed on these means)
bhaya abhayE – the abode of fear and non-fear
bandham mOksham cha – the truth of being bound in samsAram and being liberated from it
yA vEththi – that knowledge which discerns
sA budhdhi: sAthvikI – that knowledge is made of sathva guNam

Simple Translation

Oh son of kunthI! That knowledge which discerns the righteous acts which are means for worldly wealth and for salvation, do’s and dont’s (for those who are focussed on these means), the abode of fear and non-fear and the truth of being bound in samsAram and being liberated from it, is made of sathva guNam.

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

‘That is Sātvika-Reason, Pārtha! which discerns action and inaction, duty and non-duty, fear and non-fear, bondage and release.’

Action or advance (pravṛitti)[1. ] = the Dharma (or method) to be observed for achieving material goods (abhyudaya.)

Inaction or retiring (nivṛitti)[2. ] = the Dharma (or method) by which Moksha (release) is effectible.

Duty and non-duty (kāry-ākārye) = The knowing by a person of what may be done and what may be avoided, according to time, place and circumstances; by a person who may have embraced either of the courses of pravṛitti or nivṛitti.

Fear and non-fear (bhay-ābhaye). Fear is that which is occasioned by infraction of Śāstra. Non-fear is that which is occasioned by observance of Śāstra.

Bondage (bandha) = the exact nature of Samsāra.

Release (mokshā) = the exact nature of liberation therefrom (i.e., from bondage).

The Sātvika-Reason is that which discriminates all this.

>> Chapter 18 Verse 31

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