Verse 3.27

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 3.27:

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः ।
अहङ्कार-विमूढात्मा कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते ॥ २७ ॥

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ |
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate || 27 ||

prakṛteḥ–of material nature; kriyamāṇāni–are performed; guṇaiḥ–by the three binding forces; karmāṇi–activities; sarvaśaḥ–in every respect; ahaṅkāra-vimūḍha-ātmā–a person bewildered by false ego; kartā–the doer; aham–I; iti–thus; manyate–thinks.

All aspects of material activity are performed by the three binding forces of material nature, but a person whose intelligence is bewildered by false ego thinks himself to be the doer.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

If a learned man also has to perform his prescribed duty, what is the difference between his work and the work of an ignorant man? This doubt is being addressed. The difference is shown in two verses, beginning with the present one, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni. Ignorant people believe that they themselves perform all activity (karma), but in reality, it is performed by the senses, which are impelled by the modes of material nature.