Bhagavad Gita BG 13.30
Chapter 13, Verse 30 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वशः । यः पश्यति तथात्मानं अकर्तारं स पश्यति ॥
prakrtyaiva ca karmani kriyamanani sarvashah yah pashyati tathatmanam akartaram sa pashyati
Meaning
One who sees that actions are performed by Prakriti alone in all ways, and that the Atman is not the doer — that one truly sees.
Understanding
The final 'sa pashyati' teaching of Ch13: prakrtyaiva ca karmani kriyamanani sarvashah (actions in all ways are being done by Prakriti alone — sarvashah, completely). Yah pashyati tathatmanam akartaram (one who sees, and also sees the Atman to be the non-doer — akarta = not the doer). Sa pashyati (THAT one truly sees). This is the liberating vision of non-doership: all action belongs to Prakriti (body, mind, gunas); the Atman (Purusha) witnesses. The confusion 'I am doing this' is the ego's claim — Prakriti through the body-mind acts; Consciousness witnesses. Seeing this, the person is freed from karma-binding.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| प्रकृत्यैव | prakrtyaiva | by Prakriti alone (eva = alone, only) |
| क्रियमाणानि | kriyamanani | being performed, being done (passive — not by Atman) |
| सर्वशः | sarvashah | in all ways, completely, entirely |
| अकर्तारम् | akartaram | the non-doer, the one who does not act |
| स पश्यति | sa pashyati | that one truly sees — the liberating vision |
| प्रकृत्यैव | prakṛtyaiva | by nature alone |
| च | ca | and |
| कर्माणि | karmāṇi | actions |
| क्रियमाणानि | kriyamāṇāni | being performed |
| सर्वशः | sarvaśaḥ | in all respects, entirely |
| यः | yaḥ | who |
| पश्यति | paśyati tathā | sees accordingly |
| आत्मानम् | ātmānam | the self |
| अकर्तारम् | akartāram | the non-doer |
| सः | sa paśyati | he truly sees |
📖 Learn "Liberation: Knowing, Seeing, and Not Being Reborn" →