Bhagavad Gita · Moksha Sannyasa Yoga — Liberation through Renunciation

Chapter 18, Verse 14

"Bhagavad Gita 18.14" — meaning and explanation.

अधिष्ठानं तथा कर्ता करणं च पृथग्विधम् | विविधाश्च पृथक्चेष्टा दैवं चैवात्र पञ्चमम्

adhiṣṭhānaṃ tathā kartā karaṇaṃ ca pṛthagvidham . vividhāśca pṛthakceṣṭā daivaṃ caivātra pañcamam

Meaning

18.14 The seat (body), the doer, the various senses, the different functions of various sorts, and the presiding deity, also, the fifth.

।।18.14।। अधिष्ठान (शरीर), कर्ता ,विविध करण (इन्द्रियादि) ,विविध और पृथक्-पृथक् चेष्टाएं तथा पाँचवा हेतु दैव है।।

Explanation

18.14 अधिष्ठानम् the seat or body? तथा also? कर्ता the doer? करणम् the senses? च and? पृथग्विधम् of different? विविधाः various? च and? पृथक् different? चेष्टाः functions? दैवम् the presiding deity? च and? एव even? अत्र here? पञ्चमम् the fifth.Commentary Now listen to the characteristics of these five? of which the body is the first. It is termed the support or the seat. The body is the seat of desire? hatred? happiness? misery? knowledge and the like. The individual soul experiences through the body the pleasure and pain that arise through contact with matter. Egoism is the agent or the doer or the enjoyer. Nature does actions but through delusion the individual soul takes to himself the credit of their execution and? therefore? he is called the agent.Karta The enjoyer putting on the nature or properties of the limiting adjuncts with which he comes into contact.Karanam prithagvidham Various organs such as the organ of hearing? by which the individual soul hears the sound? etc. organs of knowledge and action and the mind.Daivam The presiding deity such as the Sun and the other gods by whose help the eye and the other organs perform their respective functions destiny.Cheshta Play of energy in the organs or the senses during the action.Absence of any of these factors will make action impossible.

Life Lesson

Study Bhagavad Gita 18.14 slowly, then express its central teaching through one thoughtful action in daily life.

Context

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, verse 14, from Krishna's dialogue with Arjuna at Kurukshetra.

Bhagavad Gita 18.14

This page presents the Sanskrit verse, transliteration, Hindi meaning, English meaning, and a simple explanation for study. For a fuller understanding, read this shloka in sequence with the rest of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Bhagavad Gita 18.14 mean?

18.14 The seat (body), the doer, the various senses, the different functions of various sorts, and the presiding deity, also, the fifth.

What is the life lesson of this verse?

Study Bhagavad Gita 18.14 slowly, then express its central teaching through one thoughtful action in daily life.

What is the context of this verse?

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, verse 14, from Krishna's dialogue with Arjuna at Kurukshetra.