Bg 18.18
jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ parijñātā tri-vidhā karma-codanā
karaṇaṁ karma karteti tri-vidhaḥ karma-saṅgrahaḥ
Bg 18.19
jñānaṁ karma ca kartā ca tridhaiva guṇa-bhedataḥ
procyate guṇa-saṅkhyāne yathāvac chṛṇu tāny api
Translation
18. Knowledge, the known and knower form the three-fold "impulse to action" ; the organs, the action, the agent, form the three-fold "basis of action. "
19. 'Knowledge', 'action, ' and 'actor' are declared in the Science of Temperaments (gunas) to be of three kinds only, according to the distinctions of temperaments; hear them also duly.
Commentary
In the scientific treatment of the subject-matter, Lord Krishna had already explained the constituent parts that make up an action and also indicated that the entire assemblage is of matter only. Continuing the theme, he is now trying to explain the three-fold impulses that propel activity (Karma-Chodanaa) and also the basis-of-action (Karma-Sangraha).
The "impulse to action," according to Krishna, is a threefold arrangement made up of "KNOWLEDGE (Jnaanam), THE KNOWN (Jneyam) AND THE KNOWER (Parijnaataa)." These three are called technically in Vedanta as the 'Triputi': indicating the 'experiencer,' the 'experienced' and the resultant 'experience' --- the 'knower,' the 'known' and the 'knowledge.' Without these three no knowledge is ever possible, as all "impulses to act" arise out of a play of these three. The EXPERIENCER, playing in the field of the EXPERIENCED, gains for himself the various EXPERIENCES; and these constitute the secret contents of all actions.
The "impulse to action" can spring either from the "experiencer," in the form of a DESIRE, or from the "experienced," in the form of TEMPTATION, or from the "experience" in the form of similar MEMORIES of some past enjoyments. Beyond these three there is no other "impulse to action" (Karma-Chodanaa).
The "impulse to action," when it has arisen, must also find a field to act in; and the "basis for action" (Karma-Sangraha) is constituted of the "instruments," the "reaction" and the "agent" (the actor). This "sense of agency" expressed by the ego, can maintain itself only as long as it holds a vivid picture of the "fruit of its action" which it wants to gain. Fruit, meaning the profit or the gain that is intended to be gained by the action, is indicated here by the term 'work' (Karma). According to Shri Shankaraacharya 'Karma' here means the end.
When a desirer, the agent, encouraged by this constant attraction towards a satisfying end, wants to achieve it, he must necessarily have the instruments-of-action (Karanam). These instruments include not only the organs-of-perception-and-action, but also the inner equipments of the mind and the intellect. It cannot be very difficult for a student to understand that: (1) an AGENT having a desire, (2) maintaining in his mind a clear picture of the END or the goal, (3) with all the necessary instruments to act thereupon, would be the sum total contents of any activity (Karma-Sangraha). If any one of the above three items is absent, action cannot take place. These three (Karanam, Kartaa and Karma) are together designated as the parts of the "Karma-assembly," the "basis of all Karma s" --- (Karma-Sangraha).
Thus having roughly indicated in this stanza the threefold "impulses of action" and the three-fold "basis for action," Krishna continues to explain in His Song why different people act so differently under different impulses and obey different basis in their actions. He divides each one of them under the three categories of human nature: the 'good' (Sattwic), the 'passionate' (Rajasic), and the 'dull' (Tamasic).
THE LORD NOW PROCEEDS TO SHOW THE THREE-FOLD DISTINCTIONS IN EACH ONE OF THE ABOVE, ACCORDING TO THE THREE PREDOMINANT NATURES --- THE 'GOOD,' THE 'PASSIONATE' AND THE 'DULL':
As an introduction to what is to follow immediately, here it is said that "knowledge," "action," and the "actor" (agent), all the three because of the difference of the temperament in the individuals, at the given time of observation, fall under a three-fold division. This classification is being exhaustively explained in the following stanzas.
Guna is the preponderance of a given type of temperament in one's inner nature. The human mind and intellect function constantly, but they always come to function under the different "climatic conditions" within our mind. These varying climates of the mind are called the three gunas: the 'good,' the 'passionate' and the 'dull.'
Under each of these temperaments the entire human personality behaves differently, and, naturally therefore, the permutations and combinations of the varieties make up the infinite types that are available in the world; even within the biography of one and the same personality we find different moods and behaviours at different periods of time, depending entirely upon the occasion, the type of the situation, the nature of the problem and the kind of challenge the person is called upon to face.
According to the Science of the gunas, as enunciated in Kapila's Saankhya Yoga, "Knowledge," "Action" and "Actor" are each classified under these three categories. They are being enumerated here and Krishna invites the students of the Geeta to 'LISTEN ATTENTIVELY TO THEM.' It is meaningless, in fact, to ask Arjuna to listen to the discourses, because he was all the time listening to the Lord. The implication must be that the teacher is attracting the special attention of the student because of the importance of the theme.
Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta
jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ parijñātā tri-vidhā karma-codanā
karaṇaṁ karma karteti tri-vidhaḥ karma-saṅgrahaḥ
Bg 18.19
jñānaṁ karma ca kartā ca tridhaiva guṇa-bhedataḥ
procyate guṇa-saṅkhyāne yathāvac chṛṇu tāny api
Translation
18. Knowledge, the known and knower form the three-fold "impulse to action" ; the organs, the action, the agent, form the three-fold "basis of action. "
19. 'Knowledge', 'action, ' and 'actor' are declared in the Science of Temperaments (gunas) to be of three kinds only, according to the distinctions of temperaments; hear them also duly.
Commentary
In the scientific treatment of the subject-matter, Lord Krishna had already explained the constituent parts that make up an action and also indicated that the entire assemblage is of matter only. Continuing the theme, he is now trying to explain the three-fold impulses that propel activity (Karma-Chodanaa) and also the basis-of-action (Karma-Sangraha).
The "impulse to action," according to Krishna, is a threefold arrangement made up of "KNOWLEDGE (Jnaanam), THE KNOWN (Jneyam) AND THE KNOWER (Parijnaataa)." These three are called technically in Vedanta as the 'Triputi': indicating the 'experiencer,' the 'experienced' and the resultant 'experience' --- the 'knower,' the 'known' and the 'knowledge.' Without these three no knowledge is ever possible, as all "impulses to act" arise out of a play of these three. The EXPERIENCER, playing in the field of the EXPERIENCED, gains for himself the various EXPERIENCES; and these constitute the secret contents of all actions.
The "impulse to action" can spring either from the "experiencer," in the form of a DESIRE, or from the "experienced," in the form of TEMPTATION, or from the "experience" in the form of similar MEMORIES of some past enjoyments. Beyond these three there is no other "impulse to action" (Karma-Chodanaa).
The "impulse to action," when it has arisen, must also find a field to act in; and the "basis for action" (Karma-Sangraha) is constituted of the "instruments," the "reaction" and the "agent" (the actor). This "sense of agency" expressed by the ego, can maintain itself only as long as it holds a vivid picture of the "fruit of its action" which it wants to gain. Fruit, meaning the profit or the gain that is intended to be gained by the action, is indicated here by the term 'work' (Karma). According to Shri Shankaraacharya 'Karma' here means the end.
When a desirer, the agent, encouraged by this constant attraction towards a satisfying end, wants to achieve it, he must necessarily have the instruments-of-action (Karanam). These instruments include not only the organs-of-perception-and-action, but also the inner equipments of the mind and the intellect. It cannot be very difficult for a student to understand that: (1) an AGENT having a desire, (2) maintaining in his mind a clear picture of the END or the goal, (3) with all the necessary instruments to act thereupon, would be the sum total contents of any activity (Karma-Sangraha). If any one of the above three items is absent, action cannot take place. These three (Karanam, Kartaa and Karma) are together designated as the parts of the "Karma-assembly," the "basis of all Karma s" --- (Karma-Sangraha).
Thus having roughly indicated in this stanza the threefold "impulses of action" and the three-fold "basis for action," Krishna continues to explain in His Song why different people act so differently under different impulses and obey different basis in their actions. He divides each one of them under the three categories of human nature: the 'good' (Sattwic), the 'passionate' (Rajasic), and the 'dull' (Tamasic).
THE LORD NOW PROCEEDS TO SHOW THE THREE-FOLD DISTINCTIONS IN EACH ONE OF THE ABOVE, ACCORDING TO THE THREE PREDOMINANT NATURES --- THE 'GOOD,' THE 'PASSIONATE' AND THE 'DULL':
As an introduction to what is to follow immediately, here it is said that "knowledge," "action," and the "actor" (agent), all the three because of the difference of the temperament in the individuals, at the given time of observation, fall under a three-fold division. This classification is being exhaustively explained in the following stanzas.
Guna is the preponderance of a given type of temperament in one's inner nature. The human mind and intellect function constantly, but they always come to function under the different "climatic conditions" within our mind. These varying climates of the mind are called the three gunas: the 'good,' the 'passionate' and the 'dull.'
Under each of these temperaments the entire human personality behaves differently, and, naturally therefore, the permutations and combinations of the varieties make up the infinite types that are available in the world; even within the biography of one and the same personality we find different moods and behaviours at different periods of time, depending entirely upon the occasion, the type of the situation, the nature of the problem and the kind of challenge the person is called upon to face.
According to the Science of the gunas, as enunciated in Kapila's Saankhya Yoga, "Knowledge," "Action" and "Actor" are each classified under these three categories. They are being enumerated here and Krishna invites the students of the Geeta to 'LISTEN ATTENTIVELY TO THEM.' It is meaningless, in fact, to ask Arjuna to listen to the discourses, because he was all the time listening to the Lord. The implication must be that the teacher is attracting the special attention of the student because of the importance of the theme.
Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta
