Chapter 05, Verse 15
श्रीभगवानुवाच:
नादत्ते कस्यचित् पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः।
अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः॥5.15॥
sri-bhagavan uvaca:
nadatte kasyacit papam na caiva sukrtam vibhuh।
agyanenavrtam gyanam tena muhyanti jantavah॥5.15॥
Word-by-Word Analysis
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
|
श्रीभगवानुवाच: (sri-bhagavan uvaca) |
The Supreme Lord said: This marks Krishna’s first direct
speech in the Bhagavad Gita, where he begins guiding
Arjuna. |
|
न (na) |
Not |
|
आदत्ते (adatte) |
Accepts / takes |
|
कस्यचित् (kasyacit) |
Of anyone |
|
पापम् (papam) |
Sin / evil deed |
|
न (na) |
Nor |
|
च (ca) |
And |
|
एव (eva) |
Indeed / certainly |
|
सुकृतम् (sukrtam) |
Virtuous deed / pious action |
|
विभुः (vibhuh) |
The Supreme (Lord) / omnipresent being |
|
अज्ञानेन (agyanena) |
By ignorance |
|
आवृतम् (avrtam) |
Covered / veiled |
|
ज्ञानम् (gyanam) |
Knowledge |
|
तेन (tena) |
By that |
|
मुह्यन्ति (muhyanti) |
Are deluded / confused |
|
जन्तवः (jantavah) |
Living beings / creatures |
Translation
“Nor does the Supreme Soul take on anyone’s sinful actions or pious activities. Embodied are puzzled by reason of the ignorance which veils their knowledge.”
Context of the Verse:
This sloka is in reference to Karma sannyasa Yoga, (Chapter 5: The Yoga of Renunciation of Action). Arjuna seems to be in doubts about whether to act or renounce. Krishna is explaining about the attribute less and impartial Brahmana about evil and good action.
He emphasizes that:
- Supreme Being (Vibhuh) does not do anything/the results of anyone.
- This ignorance (Agyana) veils the individual’s knowledge of the truth (Gyana), leading to delusion (Moha).
This prepares the ground for the explanation of action without attachment, mental wisdom needed to dispel confusion.
Key Teachings in This Verse:
- Utmost Neutrality: God does not interfere with personal Karma-He is neither the doer not the enjoyer.
- The Veil is Ignorance: It is ignorance and not God, which deludes the soul and causes pain.
- Responsibility: Human beings are responsible for their conduct, and their destiny is determined by knowledge and ignorance.
- The Nature of Moksha: Moksha is attained when Gyana is known and Avidya is shaken off.
Relevance to Arjuna:
- Arjuna’s problem is nothing but emotional confusion and misconceptions of Dharma.
- Krishna tells him that his Dharma as a warrior does not keep him bound if performed wisely and dispassionately.
- The awareness that the Self is distinct from actions and their outcome helps Arjuna transcend guilt and confusion.
Explanation:
As if I am impotent, so may be gathered. Then at that time, in my helplessness, if I am under sinful activities, then Ishwar should be blamed because God controls the material energy and I am under the clutches of mischievous, doing sinful activities or pious activities.
So should Lord be held accountable for why I’m punished. So here, that is why, Krishna in Kali Yuga he is making all of these points.
It’s not the Supreme Lord who takes the blame. How do we understand? It is similar to a judge punishing somebody very harsh punishment to somebody, or he can reward somebody some relief. So, judge is not biased, but everything is happening under the watchful eyes of the judge with the permission of the judge. Similarly, anything whatever is being done under the superintendence of the supreme lord, but he is not responsible for the activities.
Then, what do we mean by pain of living entity, sinful activities, whatever living entity does, Krishna tells. That ignorance which envelops the living entities. The living entity, being irresolute, begins acting sinfully, and later suffers the reaction of such sin. So one should be very, very cautious to remain in knowledge, not to fall down in the ignorance. like, of such an intelligent person who is right now very sane, but if he says yes to drinking, or he is willing to take anything intoxicating, mad. So, in drunken condition, even people don’t know also, what is, who is his mother, who is his daughter, who is this, who is that, all these illegal things are happening and human being is suffering. Crimes do occur under influence and when a person comes into senses, he cries at times.
So, the person in ignorance becomes helpless in a similar manner. Then he doesn’t know, or she doesn’t know what’s going to happen. So, we have senses, the eyes, the ears, but our senses are mind intelligence because they’re always engaged in thoughts, not for our own enjoyment, but for the service of the supreme Lord. Then it is fire of iron rod. It does not act like iron, but like fire, sending forth heat and light.
So, we also are always in knowledge, make the Satvaguna When we are always in touch with Krishna.
Chapter 05, Verse 16
ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः।
तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम्॥5.16॥
gyanena tu tad agyanam yesam nasitam atmanah।
tesam adityavat gyanam praksayati tat param॥5.16॥
Word-by-Word Analysis
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
|
ज्ञानेन (gyanena) |
By knowledge |
|
तु (tu) |
But / indeed |
|
तत् (tat) |
That |
|
अज्ञानम् (agyanam) |
Ignorance |
|
येषाम् (yesam) |
Whose |
|
नाशितम् (nasitam) |
Is destroyed |
|
आत्मनः (atmanah) |
Of the self (soul) |
|
तेषाम् (tesam) |
Of them |
|
आदित्यवत् (adityavat) |
Like the sun |
|
ज्ञानम् (gyanam) |
Knowledge |
|
प्रकाशयति (praksayati) |
Illuminates / reveals |
|
तत् (tat) |
That |
|
परम् (param) |
Supreme (Reality / Truth) |
Translation
“On the other hand, when a man gets the light of knowledge by which Nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, like the sun in the daytime.”
Context of the Verse:
This verse comes immediately after verse 15 where Krishna says that the ignorance which confuses living beings is not the will of the Divine.
Next, Krishna adds to this by saying that, the moment true knowledge (Gyana) arises and ignorance (Agayana) is destroyed, the truth about the Supreme Self (Param) is clearly revealed – Just as the sun shows the world.
This verse continues the thought from the previous verse that it is knowledge, and not action or renunciation, that enables liberation.
Key Teachings in This Verse:
- Knowing sets free: The extinction of ignorance releases the extinguishing of direct truth.
- The Self is self-evident: As a lamp in a pot shine in a house, so does the Self in the body reveal His splendour, by means of the intellect.
- The Goal is Realization: The intention of all sadhana is to activate this inner vision of the Supreme Reality.
- Spiritual Turning: This verse refers to a spiritual turning inside, where one’s perception is no longer coloured by the ego and ignorance.
Relevance to Arjuna:
- Such is confusion and sorrow that Arjuna the hero cannot see his own Dharma.
- Krishna insists that it is the right understanding (not merely external action) that is the basis of clear action and right conduct.
- When inner ignorance is destroyed, the Self can be understood correctly by Arjuna and one can act in knowledge.
- This gives Arjuna the power to go from hesitating and doubting to acting with conviction according to the will of God.
Explanation:
So, this spiritual knowledge is not very difficult, simply one need raises oneself to the spiritual energy. Just as most human beings know it’s not too hard to figure out why education is key to a career that pays. But a child can be born so foolish, that it cannot believe. Some of the parents, he finds, if they push him, he thinks, oh, these parents, they don’t care about me. They’re cruel. They’re forcing me. And therefore, the child is unable to understand due to the mode of ignorance. Take a heavily inebriated man – however much he may wish to, he cannot see the world as it really is.
In a similar fashion. Spiritual knowledge is common sense. It is very simple. It’s all so obvious, yet confusion occurs. So, Krishna says It is due to the cover up of Agyan, that is Tamas. Otherwise, it is very simple. Just as the sun rises in the daytime, we can see everything. There’s ditch. This is clean road, this is animal, snake over there, tree here is clear path, all clear.
Chapter 05, Verse 17
तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः।
गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः॥5.17॥
tad-buddhayah tad-atmanah tan-nisthah tat-parayanah।
gacchanti apunar-avrttim gyana-nirdhuta-kalmasah॥5.17॥
Word-by-Word Analysis
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
|
तद्बुद्धयः (tad-buddhayah) |
Whose intellect is fixed in That (the Supreme) |
|
तदात्मानः (tad-atmanah) |
Whose self is merged in That |
|
तन्निष्ठाः (tan-nisthah) |
Steadfastly devoted to That |
|
तत्परायणाः (tat-parayanah) |
Having That (the Supreme) as the highest goal |
|
गच्छन्ति (gacchanti) |
Go / attain |
|
अपुनरावृत्तिम् (apunar-avrttim) |
No return (i.e., liberation from rebirth) |
|
ज्ञान (gyana) |
By knowledge |
|
निर्धूत (nirdhuta) |
Cleansed / purified |
|
कल्मषाः (kalmasah) |
Of impurities / sins |
Translation
“When your intelligence has passed out of the dense forest of delusion, you shall become indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is to be heard.”
Context of the Verse:
This verse is a continuation of Krishna speaking on Chapter 5: Karma Sannyasa Yoga (The Yoga of Renunciation and Action). It’s couched between verses 15 and 16, which tell us:
- The Supreme is impartial and is neither the cause of sin nor of virtue.
- While knowledge is covered by ignorance, it is not perceived, but when ignorance is destroyed, knowledge shines forth, as the sun when the clouds disperse.
Krishna continues and now describes what a seeker does when he turns his intellect, self and devotion toward the Supreme Truth, purifies himself by knowledge of self (Gyana):
They achieve Moksha and are not born again (Punaravrtti).
Key Teachings in This Verse:
- Unity with the Supreme: Salvation is obtained by fusion of intelligence, identity, loyalty and love with the Supreme.
- Gyana Yagya: True Knowledge is purifying, and removes Kalmasah.
- Freedom from Rebirth: Those who are under the process of purification in this manner achieve Moksha (freedom) and are not born again.
- Concentration on the Divine and Surrender: Centred completely in the Divine- and not mostly, not only, not an intellectual attitude, and not mostly- completely.
Relevance to Arjuna:
- Arjuna is psychologically shattered-torn between duty, sorrow, and scepticism.
- Krishna is pointing him to a higher path, the path of action of knowledge and devotion.
- Rather than running away from action, Krishna tells him to harmonize mind, self, and Dharma with the Lord even while acting.
- This provides Arjuna the spiritual insight, and freedom to fight, which swing righteously in the fight, without being bound by Karmic
Chapter 05, Verse 18
विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि।
शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः॥5.18॥
vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini।
suni caiva svapake ca panditah sama-darsinah॥5.18॥
Word-by-Word Analysis
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
|
विद्या (vidya) |
Knowledge |
|
विनय (vinaya) |
Humility |
|
सम्पन्ने (sampanne) |
Endowed / possessed |
|
ब्राह्मणे (brahmane) |
In a Brahmin |
|
गवि (gavi) |
In a cow |
|
हस्तिनि (hastini) |
In an elephant |
|
शुनि (suni) |
In a dog |
|
च (ca) |
And |
|
एव (eva) |
Indeed |
|
श्वपाके (svapake) |
In a dog-eater (outcaste) |
|
पण्डिताः (panditah) |
The wise ones |
|
समदर्शिनः (sama-darsinah) |
See with equal vision / impartial |
Translation
“The learned, though he be the son of a very dog, And the dog though he be the son of a learned sage Are equals in his estimation and respect.”
Context of the Verse:
This verse is a continuation of knowledge and liberation from the previous 15-17 to be specific. Krishna has explained that:
- True knowledge destroys ignorance.
- What are rooted in knowledge are for liberation.
Krishna now in this verse, explains the vision of the wise:
The wise one perceives the same imperishable atman} in all, irrespective of caste, species or social position. This is the sign of a spiritually matured person � equal vision (Sama-Darshana).
Key Teachings in This Verse:
- Equality Beyond Form: The final wisdom is that of the One Self in all beings, whatever be their external appearance.
- No Superiority Complex: The person who knows spiritual wisdom does not have the pride that he (or she) is a Brahmin and the dog or the untouchable is an inferior being. They are all manifestations of the same divine consciousness.
- Sama-Darshana (Equal Vision): Equal vision is the mark of a Panditah (wise) man, not that of Gautama (only a pedant).
- Spiritual Democracy: The teaching of Krishna rises above the caste-system and signifies a universal spiritual Equality.
Relevance to Arjuna:
- Arjuna is conflicted between attachment and prejudice, fear and desire, from this conflict arises his dharma, or duty.
- This verse helps Arjuna transcend individual identity and equate all bodies with the Self.
- Krishna is leading him to behave not from prejudice but from wisdom and inner impartiality.
- It is this training that enables Arjuna to act without selfishness, without malice, without arrogance, without envy.
Explanation:
So, this is universal vision. We all would like to take a platform of equality and that is very great foolishness actually equality is not possible. If you tell man to get pregnant from tomorrow, is it possible? you nurse the boy from tomorrow can it be? No. Thus according to constitution and to psychology it is different to treat different people. And there should be a separate sort of respect for them. “Shastras says Everybody should be respected. Everyone deserves respect. That is fact. You can’t tell, you give, you treat no differently the prime minister than an ordinary street cleaner, but you cannot insult a street cleaner. He deserves respect as well. “Same as we don’t have no idea, just like in our body, we don’t know, hand is not important. Let me draw out your hand, or you cannot draw out even a finger.
Thus, the we take care, keep protect respect all the limb s of body; but then too we cannot tell all lot a great Importance. Finger we can do without, hand we can do without, leg we can do without, but head we cannot do without.” So head is most important. Hence, the wise are that is the Munis or Brahmanas, self-realised Souls, the most important people who should be honoured.
Then administrative class then mercantile class then working class. Respect should be shown, however, to everyone. And now, when you say equal, equal, then there is fight. Suppose there are, uh. What you have is two CEOs for one company you take you the best companies of the world and put the best CEOs together and they will make a company.
What will happen? That company will fail, because somebody has to be the CEO as the guy with the most respect in the company. His order be complied with, others follow their order. Then the business is nicely in this sequence.
“And now everybody want they rights and they want to fight. So, this equality is not the Vedic culture, Vedic culture says, “equality is there.”
Mutual respect is their own spiritual foundation. So here we see here a self-realized person vision. A Yogi to him whether he behold a very learned Brahmana or a cow, dog, or dog-eater, all are the same. Behaviour will be different. Doesn’t mean I’m hugging a dog. Dog will bite me. That soul is now in ignorance: “I am dog or I am snake.”
That may bite me and I may get hurt, but my vision’s the same. I don’t believe that I’m looking at a dog. I’m seeing a snake. Now, that is also spirit soul. That is also spirit, spirit soul according to modes of nature, association, now different dresses, that’s all. So, if you’re interested in reaching equal equality in society, what we want is equal respect.
This vision is very important. They are not dresses; they are spirit souls. But while we wear these dresses, we have to behave a due and have a due formal intercourse with others. externally because Brahmanas we have to give respect more and Kshatriya we have to show little Re-less respect that these are things that are going to happen.
But the equality can be established on the spiritual platform.