Topic

Causation

3 verses from the Bhagavad Gita on causation. Explore teachings across 2 chapters.

All Verses

Chapter 13 • Verse 21 →The Yoga of the Field and the Knower of the Field
Karya-karana-kartritva hetu prakriti ucyate, purushah sukha-duhkhanam bhoktritva hetur ucyate

Prakriti is said to be the cause of all material causes and effects, while Purusha is said to be the cause of the experience of pleasure and pain. Matter acts; consciousness experiences — this is the fundamental cosmic dynamic.

  • •Matter (Prakriti) is the agent of all activity
  • •Consciousness (Purusha) is the experiencer of pleasure and pain
  • •Suffering arises when consciousness over-identifies with matter
prakritipurushaexperiencepleasure and pain
Chapter 18 • Verse 13 →The Yoga of Liberation and Renunciation
pancaitani maha-baho karanani nibodha me sankhye krtante proktani siddhaye sarva-karmanam

Krishna asks Arjuna to learn from the Sankhya system the five causes for the accomplishment of all actions. This teaching draws on the analytical tradition of Sankhya to explain the metaphysical structure underlying all activity.

  • •All actions have five underlying causes according to Sankhya philosophy
  • •Understanding these causes leads to true wisdom about agency
  • •Krishna integrates Sankhya analysis into his practical teaching
sankhyaactionphilosophyfive-causes
Chapter 18 • Verse 15 →The Yoga of Liberation and Renunciation
sariravangmanobhir yat karma prarabhate narah nyayyam va viparitam va pancaite tasya hetavah

Whatever action a person undertakes with body, speech, or mind — whether right or wrong — these five are its causes. This applies universally to all human activity, ethical or unethical, sacred or mundane.

  • •All actions of body, speech, and mind share the same fivefold causal structure
  • •Both righteous and unrighteous actions are governed by these five causes
  • •This understanding applies without exception to every form of human activity
body-speech-mindright-actionwrong-actionuniversality