BhG 4.18

syntax

yaḥ (he who) karmaṇi (in activity) akarma (inactivity) paśyet (he would see),
yaḥ ca (and he who) akarmaṇi (in inactivity) karma (activity) [paśyet] (he would see),
saḥ (he) manuṣyeṣu (among people) buddhimān (intelligent) [asti] (he is),
saḥ (he) yuktaḥ (engaged) kṛtsna-karma-kṛt (who does all work) [asti] (he is).

grammar

karmaṇi	–	karman 7n.1 n. – in activity (from: √kṛ – to do);
akarma	–	a-karman 2n.1 n. – inactivity (from: √kṛ – to do);
yaḥ	–	yat sn. 1n.1 m. – he who;
paśyet	–	√dṛś (to see) Pot. P 1v.1 – he would see;
akarmaṇi	–	a-karman 7n.1 n. – in inactivity (from: √kṛ – to do);
ca	–	av. – and;
karma	–	karman 2n.1 n. – activity (from: √kṛ – to do);
yaḥ	–	yat sn. 1n.1 m. – he who;
saḥ	–	tat sn. 1n.1 m. – he;
buddhimān	–	buddhimant 1n.1 m. – intelligent (from: √budh – to wake, to perceive, to understand, buddhi – intelligence, thought, understanding, knowledge, idea, opinion; -mant / -vant – suffix denoting one who possesses);
manuṣyeṣu	–	manuṣya 7n.3 m. – among people (from: √man – to think, manu – a man, a person);
saḥ	–	tat sn. 1n.1 m. – he;
yuktaḥ	–	yukta (√yuj – to yoke, to join, to engage) PP 1n.1 m. – yoked, endowed with, engaged, suitable;
kṛtsna-karma-kṛt	–	kṛtsna-karma-kṛt 1n.1 m.; yaḥ kṛtsnaṁ karma karoti saḥ – who does all work (from: kṛtsna – whole; √kṛ – to do, karman – activity and its result; -kṛt – suffix: a doer);

textual variants

paśyed akarmaṇi → paśyaty akarmaṇi (he sees in inactivity);
sa yuktaḥ → sa coktaḥ / saṁyuktaḥ (and he is said / well yoked);
kṛtsna-karma-kṛt → sarva-karma-kṛt / kṛtsna-karmasu (who does all work / in all activities);

Śāṃkara

kiṃ punas tattvaṃ karmāder yad boddhavyaṃ vakṣyāmīti pratijñātaṃ ? ucyate —

karmaṇi | karma kriyata iti karma vyāpāra-mātraṃ, tasmin karmaṇy akarma karmābhāvaṃ yaḥ paśyet | akarmaṇi ca karmābhāve kartṛ-tantratvāt pravṛtti-nivṛttyor vastv aprāpyaiva hi sarva eva kriyākārakādi-vyavahāro’vidyābhūmāv eva karma yaḥ paśyet paśyati | sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu, sa yukto yogī ca kṛtsna-karma-kṛt samasta-karma-kṛc ca sa iti stūyate karmākarmaṇor itaretara-darśī |

nanu kim idaṃ viruddham ucyate karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed iti | akarmaṇi ca karma iti | na hi karmākarma syād akarma vā karma, tatra viruddhaṃ kathaṃ paśyed draṣṭā ? na | akarmaiva paramārthataḥ sat-karmavad avabhāsate mūḍha-dṛṣṭer lokasya, tathā karmaivākarmavat | tatra yathābhūta-darśanārtham āha bhagavān karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed ity ādi | ato na viruddhaṃ buddhimattvādy-upapatteś ca | boddhavyam iti ca yathābhūta-darśanam ucyate | na ca viparīta-jñānād aśubhān mokṣaṇaṃ syāt yaj jñātvā mokṣyase’śubhāt [gītā 4.16] iti coktam | tasmāt karmākarmaṇī viparyayeṇa gṛhīte prāṇibhis tad-viparyaya-grahaṇa-nivṛtty-arthaṃ bhagavato vacanaṃ karmaṇy akarma yaḥ ity ādi |

na cātra karmādhikaraṇa-karmāsti, kuṇḍe badarāṇīva | nāpy akarmādhikaraṇaṃ karmāsti karmābhāvatvād akarmaṇaḥ | ato viparīta-gṛhīte eva karmākarmaṇī laukikaiḥ, yathā mṛgatṛṣṇikāyām udakaṃ śuktikāyāṃ vā rajatam |

nanu karma karmaiva sarveṣāṃ na kvacid vyabhicarati | tan na nau-sthasya nāvi gacchantyāṃ taṭasthesv agatiṣu nageṣu pratikūla-gati-darśanāt | dūreṣu cakṣuṣāsannikṛṣṭeṣu gacchatsu gaty-abhāva-darśanāt | evam ihāpy akarmaṇy ahaṃ karomīti karma-darśanaṃ karmaṇi cākarma-darśanaṃ viparīta-darśanaṃ yena, tan-nirākaraṇārtham ucyate karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyet ity ādi |

tad etad ukta-prativacanam apy asakṛd atyanta-viparīta-darśana-bhāvitatayā momuhyamāno lokaḥ śrutam apy asakṛt tattvaṃ vismṛtya vismṛtya mithyā-prasaṅgam avatāryāvatārya codayatīti punaḥ punar uttaram āha bhagavān | durvijñeyatvaṃ cālakṣya vastunaḥ | avyakto’yam acintyo’yaṃ [gītā 2.25], na jāyate mriyate [gītā 2.27] ity ādinātmani karmābhāvaḥ śruti-smṛti-nyāya-prasiddha ukto vakṣyamāṇaś ca | tasminn ātmani karmābhāve’karmaṇi karma-viparīta-darśanam atyanta-nirūḍham | yataḥ kiṃ karma kim akarmeti kavayo’py atra mohitāḥ [gītā 4.16] dehādy-āśrayaṃ karmātmany adhyāropya | ahaṃ kartā mamaitat karma, mayāsya karmaṇaḥ phalaṃ bhoktavyam iti ca | tathā ahaṃ tūṣṇīṃ bhavāmi, yenāhaṃ nirāyāso’karmā sukhī syām iti kārya-karaṇāśraya-vyāpāroparamaṃ tat-kṛtaṃ casukhitvam ātmany adhyāropya na karomi kiṃcit tūṣṇīṃ sukham āsam ity abhimanyate lokaḥ | tatredaṃ lokasya viparīta-darśanāpanayanāyāha bhagavān karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed ity ādi |

atra ca karma karmaiva sat kārya-karaṇāśrayaṃ karma-rahito’vikriya ātmani sarvair adhyastam | yataḥ paṇḍito’py ahaṃ karomīti manyate | atha ātma-samavetatayā sarva-loka-prasiddhe karmaṇi nadī-kula-stheṣv iva gatiḥ pratilaumyena | ato’karma karmābhāvaṃ yathā-bhūtaṃ gaty-abhāvam iva vṛkṣeṣu yaḥ paśyet | akarmaṇi ca kārya-karaṇa-vyāpāroparame karmavad ātmany adhyāropite tūṣṇīm akurvan sukham āse ity ahaṅkārābhisandhi-hetutvāt tasminn akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ paśyet | ya evaṃ karmākarma-vibhāgajñaḥ sa buddhimān paṇḍito manuṣyeṣu | sa yukto yogī kṛtsna-karma-kṛc ca | so’śubhān mokṣitaḥ kṛta-kṛtyo bhavatīty arthaḥ |

ayaṃ śloko’nyathā vyākhyātaḥ kaiścit | kathaṃ ? nityānāṃ kila karmaṇām īśvarārthe’nuṣṭhīyamānānāṃ tat-phalābhāvād akarmāṇi tāny ucyante gauṇyā vṛttyā | teṣāṃ cākaraṇam akarma | tac ca pratyavāya-phalatvāt karmocyate gauṇyaiva vṛttyā | tatra nitye karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyet phalābhāvāt | yathā dhenur api gaur agaur ucyate kṣīrākhyaṃ phalaṃ na prayacchatīti tadvat | tathā nityākaraṇe tv akarmaṇi karmaḥ âśyen narakādi-pratyavāya-phalaṃ prayacchatīti | naitad yuktaṃ vyākhyānam | evaṃ-jñānād aśubhān mokṣānupapatteḥ | yaj jñātvā mokṣyase’śubhāt [gītā 4.16] iti bhagavatoktaṃ vacanaṃ bodhyeta | kathaṃ ? nityānām anuṣṭhānād aśubhāt syān nāma mokṣaṇam | na tu teṣāṃ phalābhāva-jñānāt | na hi nityānāṃ phalābhāva-jñānam aśubha-mukti-phalatvena coditaṃ nitya-karma-jñānaṃ vā | na ca bhagavativehoktam |

etenākarmaṇi karma-darśanaṃ pratyuktam | na hy akarmaṇi karmeti darśanaṃ kartavyatayeha codyate, nityasya tu kartavyatā-mātram | na cākaraṇān nityasya pratyavāyo bhavatīti vijñānāt kiṃcit phalaṃ syāt | nāpi nityākaraṇaṃ jñeyatvena coditam | nāpi karmākarmeti mithā-darśanād aśubhān mokṣaṇam | buddhimattvaṃ, yuktatā, kṛtsna-karma-kṛttvādi ca phalam upapadyate stutir vā | mithyā-jñānam eva hi sākṣād aśubha-rūpaṃ kuto’nyasmād aśubhān mokṣaṇaṃ ? na hi tamas tamaso nivartakaṃ bhavati |

nanu karmaṇi yad akarma-darśanam akarmaṇi vā karma-darśanaṃ, na tan-mithyā-jñānam | kiṃ tarhi gauṇaṃ phala-bhāvābhāva-nimittaṃ ? na, karmākarma-vijñānād api gauṇāt phalasyāśravaṇāt | nāpi śruta-hānya-śruta-parikalpanayā kaścid viśeṣo labhyate | sva-śabdenāpi śakyaṃ vaktuṃ nitya-karmaṇāṃ phalaṃ nāsty akaraṇāc ca teṣāṃ naraka-pātaḥ syād iti | tatra vyājena para-vyāmoha-rūpeṇa karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed ity ādinā kiṃ ? tatraiva vyācakṣāṇena bhagavatoktaṃ vākyaṃ loka-vyāmohārtham iti vyaktaṃ kalpitaṃ syāt | na caitac chadma-rūpeṇa vākyena rakṣaṇīyaṃ vastu, nāpi śabdāntareṇa punaḥ punar ucyamānaṃ subodhaṃ syād ity evaṃ vaktuṃ yuktam | karmaṇy evādhikāras te [gītā 2.47] ity atra hi sphuṭatara ukto’rtho na punar vaktavyo bhavati | sarvatra ca praśastaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca kartavyam eva, na niṣprayojanaṃ boddhavyam ity ucyate |

na ca mithyā-jñānaṃ boddhavyaṃ bhavati tat-pratyupasthāpitaṃ vā vastv-ābhāsam | nāpi nityānām akaraṇād abhāvāt prayavāya-bhāvotpattiḥ | nāsato vidyate bhāvo [gītā 2.16] iti vacanāt | tat-katham asataḥ saj jāyate [candrhāuttaṃ 6.2.2] iti ca darśitam | asataḥ saj-janma-pratiṣedhād asataḥ sad-utpattiṃ bruvatā’sad eva sad bhavet | sac cāsad bhaved ity uktaṃ syāt | tac cāyuktaṃ, sarva-pramāṇa-virodhāt | na ca niṣphalaṃ vidadhyāt karma śāstraṃ duḥkha-svarūpatvāt | duḥkhasya ca buddhi-pūrvakatayā kāryatvānupapatteḥ | tad-akaraṇe ca naraka-pātābhyupagame’narthāyaiva | ubhayathāpi karaṇe’karaṇe ca śāstraṃ niṣphalaṃ kalpitaṃ syāt | svābhyupagama-virodhaś ca nityaṃ niṣphalaṃ karmety abhyupagamya mokṣa-phalāyeti bruvataḥ | tasmād yathā-śruta evārthaḥ karmaṇy akarma ya ity ādeḥ | tathā ca vyākhyāto’smābhiḥ ślokaḥ

Rāmānuja

vikarmaṇi boddhavyaṃ nityanaimittikakāmyadravyārjanādau karmaṇi phalabhedakṛtaṃ vaividhyaṃ parityajya mokṣaikaphalatayaikaśāstrārthatvānusandhānam / tad etat „vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekā” ity atraivoktam iti neha prapañcyate / karmākarmaṇor boddhavyam āha

akarmaśabdenātra karmetarāt prastutam ātmajñānam ucyate / karmaṇi kriyamāṇa evātmajñānaṃ yaḥ paśyet, akarmaṇi cātmajñāne vartamāna eva yaḥ karma paśyet / kim uktaṃ bhavati? kriyamāṇam eva karma ātmayāthātmyānusandhānena jñānākāraṃ yaḥ paśyet, tac ca jñānaṃ karmayogāntaragatatayā karmākāraṃ yaḥ paśyed ity uktaṃ bhavati / kriyamāṇe hi karmaṇi kartṛbhūtātmayāthātmyānusandhāne sati tadubhayaṃ saṃpannaṃ bhavati / evam ātmayāthātmyānusandhānāntargarbhaṃ karma yaḥ paśyet, sa buddhimān kṛtsnaśāstrārthavit,manuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ mokṣāyārhaḥ, sa eva kṛtsnakarmakṛt kṛtsnaśāstrārthakṛt

Śrīdhara

tad evaṃ karmādīnāṃ durvijñeyatvaṃ darśayann āha karmaṇīti | parameśvarārādhana-lakṣaṇe karmaṇi karma-viṣaye akarma karmedaṃ na bhavatīti yaḥ paśyet | tasya jñāna-hetutvena bandhakatvābhāvāt | akarmaṇi ca vihitākaraṇe karma yaḥ paśyet pratyavāyotpādakatvena bandha-hetutvāt | manuṣyeṣu karma kurvāṇeṣu sa buddhimān vyavasāyātmaka-buddhimattvāc chreṣṭhaḥ | taṃ stauti sa yukto yogī | tena karmaṇā jñāna-yogāvāpteḥ | sa eva kṛtsna-karma-kartā ca | sarvataḥ samplutodaka-sthānīye ca tasmin karmaṇi sarva-karma-phalānām antarbhāvāt tad evam ārurukṣoḥ karma-yogādhikārāvasthāyāṃ na karmaṇām anārambhād ity ādinokta eva karma-yogaḥ spaṣṭīkṛtaḥ | tat-prapañca-rūpatvāc cāsya prakaraṇasya na paunaruktya-doṣaḥ | anenaiva yogārūḍhāvasthāyāṃ yas tv ātma-ratir eva syād ity ādinā yaḥ karmānupayoga uktas tasyāpy arthāt prapañcaḥ kṛto veditavyaḥ | yad ārurukṣor api karma bandhakaṃ na bhavati tad-ārūḍhasya kuto bandhakaṃ syāt ity atrāpi śloko yujyate |

yad vā, karmaṇi dehendriyādi-vyāpāre vartamāne ‚py ātmano dehādi-vyatirekānubhavena akarma svābhāvikaṃ niaṣkarmyam eva yaḥ paśyet tathā akarmaṇi ca jñāna-rahite duḥkha-buddhyā karmaṇāṃ tyāge karma yaḥ paśyet tasya prayatna-sādhyatvena mithyācāratvāt | tad uktaṃ karmendriyāṇi saṃyamyety ādinā | ya evambhūtaḥ sa tu sarveṣu manuṣyeṣu buddhimān paṇḍitaḥ | tatra hetuḥ – yataḥ kṛtsnāni sarvāṇi yadṛcchayā prāptāny āhārādīni karmāṇi kurvann api sa yukta eva akartrātma-jñānena samādhistha evety arthaḥ | anenanaiva jñāninaḥ svabhāvād āpannaṃ kalañja-bhakṣaṇādikaṃ na doṣāya | ajñasya tu rāgataḥ kṛtaṃ doṣāya iti vikarmaṇo ‚pi tattvaṃ nirūpitaṃ draṣṭavyam

Madhusūdana

kīdṛśaṃ tarhi karmādīnāṃ tattvam iti tad āha karmaṇīti | karmaṇi dehendriyādi-vyāpāre vihite pratiṣiddhe cāhaṃ karomīti dharmy-adhyāsenātmany āropit## | nau-sthenācalatsu taṭastha-vṛkṣādiṣu samāropite calana ivākartātma-svarūpālocanena vastutaḥ karmābhāvaṃ taṭastha-vṛkṣādiṣv iva yaḥ paśyet paśyati | tathā dehendriyādiṣu triguṇa-māyā-pariṇāmatvena sarvadā savyāpāreṣu nirvyāpāras tūṣṇīṃ sukham āsa ity abhimānena samāropite ‚karmaṇi vyāpāroparame dūrastha-cakṣuḥ-saṃnikṛṣṭa-puruṣeṣu gacchatsv apy agamana iva sarvadā sa-vyāpāra-dehendriyādi-svarūpa-paryālocanena vastu-gatyā karma nivṛttyākhya-prayatna-rūpaṃ vyāpāraṃ yaḥ paśyed udāhṛta-puruṣeṣu gamanam iva | audāsīnyāvasthāyām apy udāsīno ‚ham āsa ity abhimāna eva karma | etādṛśaḥ paramārtha-darśī sa buddhimān ity ādinā buddhimattva-yoga-yuktatva-sarva-karma-kṛttvais tribhir dharmaiḥ stūyate |

atra prathama-pādena karma-vikarmaṇos tattvaṃ karma-śabdasya vihita-pratiṣiddha-paratvāt | dvitīya-pādena cākarmaṇas tattvaṃ darśitam iti draṣṭavyam | tatra yat tvaṃ manyase karmaṇo bandha-hetutvāt tūṣṇīm eva mayā sukhena sthātavyam iti tan mṛṣā | asati kartṛtvābhimāne vihitasya pratiṣiddhasya vā karmaṇo bandha-hetutvābhāvāt | tathā ca vyākhyātaṃ na māṃ karmāṇi limpanti [Gītā 4.14] ity ādinā | satica kartṛtvābhimāne tūṣṇīm aham āsa ity audāsīnyābhimānātmakaṃ yat karma tad api bandha-hetur eva vastu-tattvāparijñānāt | tasmāt karma-vikarmākarmaṇāṃ tattvam īdṛśaṃ jñātvā vikarmākarmaṇī parityajya kartṛtvābhimāna-phalābhisandhi-hānena vihitaṃ karmaiva kurv ity abhiprāyaḥ |

aparā vyākhyā karmaṇi jñāna-karmaṇi dṛśye jaḍe sad-rūpeṇa sphuraṇa-rūpeṇa cānusyūtaṃ sarva-bhramādhiṣṭhānam akarmāvedyaṃ sva-prakāśa-caitanyaṃ paramārtha-dṛṣṭyā yaḥ paśyet | tathākarmaṇi ca sva-prakāśe dṛg-vastuni kalpitaṃ karma dṛśyaṃ māyā-mayaṃ na paramārtha-sat | dṛg-dṛśyayoḥ sambandhānupapatteḥ –

yas tu sarvāṇi bhūtāni ātmany evānupaśyati |
sarva-bhūteṣu cātmānaṃ tato na vijugupsate || [ĪśaU 6] iti śruteḥ |

evaṃ parasparādhyāse ‚pi śuddhaṃ vastu yaḥ paśyati manuṣyeṣu madhye sa eva buddhimān nānyaḥ | asya paramārtha-darśitvād anyasya cāparamārtha-darśitvāt | sa ca buddhi-sādhana-yogya-yukto ‚ntaḥ-karaṇa-śuddhy-aikāgra-cittaḥ | ataḥ sa evāntaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi-sādhana-kṛtsna-karma-kṛd iti vāstava-dharmair eva stūyate | yasmād evaṃ tasmāt tvam api paramārtha-darśī bhava tāvataiva kṛtsna-karma-kāritvopapatter ity abhiprāyaḥ |

ato yad uktaṃ yaj jñātvā mokṣyase ‚śubhād iti | yac coktaṃ karmādīnāṃ tattvaṃ boddhavyam astīti sa buddhimān ity ādi-stutiś ca | tat sarvaṃ paramārtha-darśane saṃgacchate | anya-jñānād aśubhāt saṃsārān mokṣānupapatteḥ | atattvaṃ cānyan na boddhavyaṃ na vā yaj-jñāne buddhimattvam iti yuktaiva paramārtha-darśināṃ vyākhyā |

yat tu vyākhyānaṃ karmaṇi nitye parameśvarārthe ‚nuṣṭhīyamāne bandha-hetutvābhāvād akarmedam iti yaḥ paśyet | tathākarmaṇi ca nitya-karmākaraṇe pratyavāya-hetutvena karmedam iti yaḥ paśyet sa buddhimān ity ādi tad asaṅgatam eva | nitya-karmaṇy akarmedam iti jñānasyāśubha-mokṣa-hetutvābhāvāt, mithyājñānatvena tasyivāśubhatvāc ca | na caitādṛśaṃ mithyā-jñānaṃ boddhavyaṃ tattvaṃ nāpy etādṛśa-jñāne buddhimattvādi-stuty-upapattir bhrāntitvāt | nitya-karmānuṣṭhānaṃ hi svarūpato ‚ntaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi-dvāropayujyate na tatrākarma-buddhiḥ kutrāpy upayujyate śāstreṇa nāmādiṣu brahma-dṛṣṭivad avihitatvāt | nāpīdam eva vākyaṃ tad-vidhāyakam upakramādi-virodhasyokteḥ | evaṃ nitya-karmākaraṇam api svarūpato nitya-karma-viruddha-karma-lakṣakatayopayujyate na tu tatra karma-dṛṣṭiḥ kvāpy upayujyate | nāpi nitya-karmākaraṇāt pratyavāyaḥ | abhāvād bhāvotpatty-ayogāt | anyathā tad-aviśeṣeṇa sarvadā kāryotpatti-prasaṅgāt | bhāvārthāḥ karma-śabdās tebhyaḥ kriyā pratīyetaiṣa hy artho vidhīyata iti nyāyena bhāvārthasyaivāpūrva-janakatvāt | atirātre ṣoḍaśinaṃ na gṛhṇāti ity ādāv api saṅkalpa-viśeṣasyaivāpūrva-janakatvābhyupagamāt | nekṣetodyantam ādityam ity ādi-prajāpati-vratavat | ato nitya-karmānuṣṭhānārhe kāle tad-viruddhatayā yad-upaveśanādi karma tad eva nitya-karmākaraṇopalakṣitaṃ pratyavāya-hetur iti vaidikānāṃ siddhāntaḥ | ataevākurvan vihitaṃ karmety atra lakṣaṇārthe śatā vyākhyātaḥ | lakṣaṇa-hetvoḥ kriyāyā ity aviśeṣa-smaraṇe ‚py atra hetutvānupapatteḥ | tasmān mithyā-darśanāpanode prastute mithyā-darśana-vyākhyānaṃ na śobhatetarām | nāpi nityānuṣṭhāna-param evaitad vākyaṃ nityāni kuryād ity arthe karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed ity ādi tad-abodhakaraṃ vākyaṃ prayuñjānasya bhagavataḥ pratārakatvāpatter ity ādi bhāṣya eva vistareṇa vyākhyātam ity uparamyate

Viśvanātha

tatra karmākarmaṇos tattva-bodham āha karmaṇīti | śuddhāntaḥ-karaṇasya jñānavattve ‚pi janakāder ivākṛta-sannyāsasya karmaṇy anuṣṭhīyamāne niṣkāma-karma-yoge akarma | karmedaṃ na bhavatīti yaḥ paśyet tat-karmaṇo bandhakatvābhāvāt iti bhāvaḥ | tathāśuddhāntaḥkaraṇasya jñānābhāve ‚pi śāstrajñatvāt jñāna-vāvadūkasya sannyāsino ‚karmaṇi karmākaraṇe karma paśyet durgati-prāpakaṃ karma-bandham evopalabhate | sa eva buddhimān | sa tu kṛtsna-karmāṇy eva karoti, na tu tasya jñāna-vāvadūkasya jñāni-māninaḥ saṅgenāpi tad-vacasāpi sannyāsaṃ na karotīti bhāvaḥ | tathā ca bhagavad-vākyam –

yas tv asaṃyata-ṣaḍ-vargaḥ pracaṇḍendriya-sārathiḥ |
jñāna-vairāgya-rahitas tri-daṇḍam upajīvati ||
surān ātmānam ātma-sthaṃ nihnute māṃ ca dharma-hā |
avipakva-kaṣāyo ‚smād amuṣmāc ca vihīyate || [BhP 11.18.40-1] iti

Baladeva

karmākarmaṇor boddhavyaṃ svarūpam āha karmaṇīti | anuṣṭhīyamāne niṣkāme karmaṇi yo ‚karma prastutatvāt karmaṇy ātma-jñānaṃ paśyet, akarmaṇy ātma-jñāne yaḥ karma paśyet | etad uktaṃ bhavati – yo mumukṣur hṛd-viśuddhaye kriyamāṇaṃ karmātma-jñānānusandhi-garbhatvāj jñānākāraṃ, tac ca jñānaṃ karma-dvārakatvāt karmākāraṃ paśyet | ubhayor ekātmoddeśyatvād ubhayam ekaṃ vidyād ity arthaḥ | evam eva vakṣyate sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ ity ādineti | evam anuṣṭhīyamāne karmaṇi ātma-yāthātmyaṃ yo ‚nusandhatte sa manuṣyeṣu buddhimān paṇḍitaḥ | yukto mokṣa-yogyaḥ | kṛtsna-karma-kṛt sarveṣāṃ karma-phalānām ātma-jñāna-sukhāntarbhūtatvāt