Chapter 18, Verse 14 (Bhagavad Gita 18.14)
Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyās Yog – Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender
Sanskrit Shloka
अधिष्ठानं तथा कर्ता करणं च पृथग्विधम्।विविधाश्च पृथक्चेष्टा दैवं चैवात्र पञ्चमम्
Transliteration
adhiṣhṭhānaṁ tathā kartā karaṇaṁ cha pṛithag-vidham vividhāśh cha pṛithak cheṣhṭā daivaṁ chaivātra pañchamam
Word Meanings
adhiṣhṭhānam—the body; tathā—also; kartā—the doer (soul); karaṇam—senses; cha—and; pṛithak-vidham—various kinds; vividhāḥ—many; cha—and; pṛithak—distinct; cheṣhṭāḥ—efforts; daivam—Divine Providence; cha eva atra—these certainly are (causes); pañchamam—the fifth
Translation
The seat of action (the body), the performer (the ego), the various senses, the different functions of many kinds, and the presiding deity—the fifth.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna reveals the five fundamental factors that facilitate every action in the material world. By teaching Arjuna that the individual soul is not the sole architect of its deeds, the Supreme Lord invites us to relinquish the heavy burden of ego-centered agency. This realization is crucial for a seeker, as it helps one understand that our physical and mental mechanisms are mere instruments working under the divine orchestration of the cosmos. By acknowledging the presence of the divine element—the presiding deity—in every undertaking, a devotee shifts from being a prideful doer to a humble instrument of Shri Krishna’s will. Ultimately, this wisdom leads the soul toward liberation, as we learn to act in accordance with dharma while remaining anchored in surrender to the Supreme.