Shrimad Bhagavad-gita

by Narayana Gosvami | 2013 | 327,105 words

The Bhagavad-gita Verse 13.30, English translation, including the Vaishnava commentaries Sarartha-varsini-tika, Prakashika-vritti and Rasika-ranjana (excerpts). This is verse Verse 13.30 from the chapter 13 called “Prakriti-purusha-vibhaga-yoga (Yoga through Understanding the distinctions between Material Nature and the Enjoyer)”

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 13.30:

प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वशः यः ।
पश्यति तथात्मानम् अकर्त्तारं स पश्यति ॥ ३० ॥

prakṛtyaiva ca karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni sarvaśaḥ yaḥ |
paśyati tathātmānam akarttāraṃ sa paśyati
|| 30 ||

prakṛtyā–by material nature; eva–actually; ca–also; karmāṇi–activities; kriyamāṇāni–performed; sarvaśaḥ–in every way; yaḥ–who; paśyati–sees; tathā–and; ātmānam–himself; akarttāram–a non-doer; saḥ–he; paśyati–actually sees.

One who perceives material nature to be the sole executor of all the functions of material activity and sees himself, the soul, to be inactive in this regard, actually sees.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

Prakṛtyaiva means that prakṛti transformed into the body and senses performs all work. The vision of those jīvas who identify the self with the inert body and thus think that they are the doers is not real. They are in ignorance. But he who sees that he is not the doer of action, actually sees.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

The conditioned soul is impelled by the actions and modes of material nature because of the false ego, which makes him think that he is the doer of material actions. But in the true sense, he is not the doer. Bhagavān has explained this earlier. Parameśvara is also not the doer, although He is situated in the hearts of all beings as the indwelling witness and He who gives inspiration. What to speak of Parameśvara, even the jīvātmā in the pure state does not have the ego of being the doer of material actions, which are performed by the material senses. Those who know this are really in knowledge.

It is also said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.28.15):

śoka-harṣa-bhaya-krodha-lobha-moha-spṛhādayaḥ
ahaṅkārasya dṛśyante janma-mṛtyuś ca nātmanaḥ

O Uddhava, the material ego is the only cause of lamentation, happiness, fear, anger, greed, delusion, desire, birth and death. The pure soul has no connection with them.

It is also seen in the Tantra-bhāgavata, “ahaṅkārāt tu saṃsāro bhavet jīvasya na svataḥ–It is only due to material ego that this material existence in the form of birth and death occurs for the jīvas. The pure jīvas have no relationship with such material ego.” However, in the jīva’s pure state, he has the ego of being a servant of Kṛṣṇa, possessing a human-like spiritual body, with a name, form, qualities and activities that are all transcendental. He is not formless or without qualities.

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