13.29 prakruthyaiva cha karmANi

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Chapter 13

<< Chapter 13 verse 28

SlOkam – Original

prakruthyaiva cha karmANi kriyamANAni sarvaSa: |
ya: paSyathi thathA”thmAnam akarthAram sa paSyathi ||

word-by-word meaning

sarvaSa: karmANi – all karmas (actions)
prakruthA Eva kriyamANAni – are performed by the body which is an effect of matter
thathA – in the same manner
AthmAnam – AthmA (soul)
akarthAram cha – not the doer of those actions
ya: paSyathi – one who sees
sa: paSyathi – only he sees (AthmA truly).

Simple Translation

Only he who sees that all karmas (actions) are performed by the body which is an effect of matter and in the same manner AthmA (soul) is not the doer of those actions, sees (AthmA truly).

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

‘He sees, who so sees that by matter alone are all acts enacted[1. Cp. Bh: Gi: III-2728; Cp: with Tyndall’s Fragments of Science, p: 495 (Longmans, 1896). “The principle of every change resides in matter…….., in nature the agent works within, being the most active and mobile part of the material itself.”]; sees that likewise ātma is not actor.’

Whoso sees —that all actions proceed from the agency of matter in the manner previously averred in:

‘For creating effect and instruments, matter is said to be the cause’ (Gi: XIII-20); and sees that the soul being one of intelligence is not the actor; and therefore sees, that it is ignorance in the shape of karma, that brings about (1) the associating with matter, (2) the condition of informing[2. meaning: ruling over] it, and (3) the experiencing of joys and griefs occasioned thereby, —such a man— sees ātma in its true light.

>> Chapter 13 verse 30

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