Verse 18.18

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 18.18:

ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रि-विधा कर्म-चोदना ।
करणं कर्म कर्तेति त्रि-विधः कर्म-सङ्ग्रहः ॥ १८ ॥

jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ parijñātā tri-vidhā karma-codanā |
karaṇaṃ karma karteti tri-vidhaḥ karma-saṅgrahaḥ || 18 ||

jñānam–knowledge; jñeyam–the knowable; parijñātā–the knower; tri-vidhā–the three types; karma-codanā–impulses of action; karaṇam–the instrument; karma–the activity; kartā–the agent; iti–thus; tri-vidhaḥ–the threefold; karma-saṅgrahaḥ–basis of action.

Knowledge, the knowable and the knower constitute the threefold impetus to perform action. The instrument, the activity and the agent form the threefold basis of action.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

Therefore, in the opinion of Śrī Bhagavān, sannyāsa, or renunciation in the mode of goodness, is instructed for the jñānīs. But for devotees, however, complete renunciation of karma-yoga is recommended. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.11.32), Śrī Bhagavān says, “O Uddhava, those who give up their occupational duty as prescribed by Me in the Vedas, having carefully analyzed the positive and negative aspects of pious and sinful action, and who thus engage in worship of Me, are indeed sattamaḥ, the best among men.” Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī has explained the meaning of this verse as follows: “Those who perform worship of Me, completely giving up their occupational duty as instructed by Me in the Vedas, are the best amongst men.”

Here a question arises. “If someone gives up his prescribed occupational duty out of ignorance or an atheistic propensity, will he still be considered as sattamaḥ, the best among men?” In response, Śrī Bhagavān says, “No. Those who are sattamaḥ understand that favourable qualities such as purity of existence resulting from the performance of religious activities (prescribed duties according to varṇa and āśrama), as well as the discrepancies caused by the neglect of such activities, distract one from meditating upon Me. Those who understand this are sattamaḥ. They possess the firm determination that everything can be achieved by performing bhakti to Me, and they solely engage in worship of Me, giving up all other religious activities.”

The words dharmaṃ santyajya in the above Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam verse (11.11.32) do not mean to merely give up the results of dharma, but to give up dharma itself. One should understand that there is no fault involved in giving up the results of dharma. This is the opinion given in the statements of Bhagavān, and it is supported by those who have explained them. Jñāna certainly relies on purification of the heart. The performance of niṣkāma-karma, the selfless performance of prescribed action to achieve jñāna, enables one to achieve different levels of such purification, and jñāna increases in proportion to purity of heart. There is no other way for jñāna to appear. Therefore, it is even imperative for sannyāsīs to practise niṣkāma-karma for jñāna to appear in their hearts.

When the performance of karma has completely purified the heart, karma is no longer required. As also stated in the Gītā (6.3), “Karma is the sādhana for those who desire jñāna-yoga, but for those already situated in jñāna, the sādhana is to renounce this karma, since it causes a distraction.” Moreover, the Gītā (3.17) says, “There is no prescribed duty for one who derives pleasure from the self and who is satisfied and happy in the self alone.”

Bhakti, being supremely independent and extremely powerful, does not depend upon purity of heart. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.39) states: “Those with transcendental faith, who hear Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes with the gopīs of Vraja, attain transcendental devotion to Him and thus very quickly become free from the disease of the heart: mundane lust.” How can this happen? First, transcendental devotion enters the heart of a person suffering from material lust and purifies it. Consequently, the lust and unwanted desires (anarthas) of such a qualified person are destroyed. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.8.5) further states: “Kṛṣṇa enters the lotus-like hearts of the devotees through the ear and removes all their impurities, just as the autumn season purifies the rivers.”

Why, then, should the devotees engage in karma if bhakti alone purifies the heart? To clarify this point, the present verse is now spoken. Simply knowing that the soul is separate from the body does not comprise jñāna. Rather, one is to also understand ātma-tattva, the fundamental truth of the soul. The only real jñānīs are those who have taken shelter of such knowledge. But the three constituents of jñāna, namely knowledge (jñāna), the object of knowledge (jñeya), and the knower (jñātā), also have a relationship with karma. To understand this is the duty of the sannyāsīs. For this purpose, Śrī Bhagavān is speaking this verse beginning with the word jñānam. Here the word codanā means ‘injunction’ or ‘process’. Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī says that the words codanā (injunction), upadeśa (instruction) and vidhi (rules and regulations) are synonymous.

Now Bhagavān Himself is explaining the second half of this verse, starting with karaṇaṃ karma. Jñāna is that which helps us to know something. According to this definition, jñāna is the instrument of knowledge; jñeya (jīvātma-tattva) is the known; and one who knows this truth about the jīvātmā is jñātā, the knower, or possessor of knowledge.

There are three ingredients in an action: karaṇa (the object or instrument of action), karma (the action itself) and kartā (the subject or performer of action). These three factors, known as karma-saṅgrahaḥ, are related to niṣkāma-karma. This is the explanation of the compound word karma-codanā. In other words, the performance of niṣkāma-karma-yoga is based on these three principles: knowledge (jñāna), the object of knowledge (jñeya) and the knower (jñātā).

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

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

The soul is an entity beyond the modes of nature, devoid of any material qualities. The inspiration for karma, the basis of karma and the result of karma are all products of the three modes of nature, so they have no constitutional relationship with the soul. The exclusive devotees of Bhagavān, who are completely surrendered to Him, have perfect knowledge of the soul. Although they perform activities–by the will of Kṛṣṇa or for His pleasure–they are never called karmīs (materialists). The only appellation that adorns them is ‘bhakta’; therefore, they do not get entangled in the web of karma.

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura quotes Kṛṣṇa as saying, “Knowledge (jñāna), the object of knowledge (jñeya) and the knower (jñātā) are the three impulses of action known as karma-codanā.

“The instrument (karaṇa), the object (karma) and the doer (kartā) comprise the threefold basis of karma known as karma-saṅgrahaḥ. Whatever action a person performs has two states: inspiration (codanā) and basis (saṅgrahaḥ). The process that precedes any action is called codanā. Inspiration is the subtle existence of action, and it is the faith that exists in the mind before the gross state of action manifests.

“The stage that precedes action is divided into three parts: (1) knowledge of the instrument of action; (2) the knowable object of action and (3) the knower of action. The external manifestation of action has three divisions: (1) karaṇa (the instrument), (2) karma (the object) and (3) kartā (the subject).”^[1]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Example: The student picks up the book. In this action there is knowledge of the instrument of action (the student’s hand), the knowable object of action (a book and how to pick it up) and the knower (the student). These three combined are known as saṅgrahaḥ. Then there is the activity itself. The student’s hand is the instrument (karaṇa), the book is the object (karma), and the student is the subject (kartā).