Chapter 5, Verse 14 (Bhagavad Gita 5.14)
Chapter 5: Karm Sanyās Yog – Path of Renunciation
Sanskrit Shloka
न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः। न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते
Transliteration
na kartṛitvaṁ na karmāṇi lokasya sṛijati prabhuḥ na karma-phala-saṅyogaṁ svabhāvas tu pravartate
Word Meanings
na—neither; kartṛitvam—sense of doership; na—nor; karmāṇi—actions; lokasya—of the people; sṛijati—creates; prabhuḥ—God; na—nor; karma-phala—fruits of actions; sanyogam—connection; svabhāvaḥ—one’s nature; tu—but; pravartate—is enacted
Translation
The Lord does not create the sense of doership, nor actions, nor the connection between actions and their fruits; rather, it is Nature (Prakriti) that performs these functions.
Meaning & Commentary
This verse liberates the seeker from the crushing weight of ego and the anxiety of outcomes. It teaches that our essential self, the Atman, remains a silent observer, while the material nature (Prakriti) moves according to its own laws of cause and effect. By realizing that we are not the ultimate author of our actions, we can cultivate deep humility and detachment. This shift in perspective allows one to perform duties with excellence while remaining untethered by the stress of success or failure. Ultimately, it invites us to move from a state of reactive 'doing' to a state of conscious 'being,' where we witness life rather than struggle against it.