A core teaching · reflective in mood · builds on earlier teachings
“Every deed comes from five causes, not one isolated doer.”
Whatever action a person begins through body, speech, and mind—right or wrong—has these five causes.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
Read literallythrough body, speech, and mind · whatever · action · begins · a person · right, proper · or · wrong, contrary · or · five · these · of that · causes
Any action a person starts through body, speech, or mind is driven by five causes, whether the action is proper or improper.
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Moksha Sanyasa Yoga" (Liberation through Renunciation).
Verse 15 sits in Chapter 18 of the Bhagavad Gita — Moksha Sanyasa Yoga, "Liberation through Renunciation". The chapter has 78 verses in total.
A father shouts at his son over a poor report card and later says he just lost his temper. Krishna would point out that several causes acted at once: a tired body, an anxious doer, sharp words, old habits, the day's circumstances.
Did you like this verse?
Whatever a person does by body, speech or mind, right or wrong, these same five causes are at work.
What this verse means
Any action a person starts through body, speech, or mind is driven by five causes, whether the action is proper or improper.
Context & commentary
Krishna is breaking Arjuna’s usual idea of agency. After naming five causes behind every action, he adds that any deed begun through body, speech, or mind, right or wrong, arises from those causes rather than from a single isolated doer.
What it looks like today
A father shouts at his son over a poor report card and later says he just lost his temper. Krishna would point out that several causes acted at once: a tired body, an anxious doer, sharp words, old habits, the day's circumstances.
“You are not the lone maker of your actions; many forces are already at work.”
Explore related themes: sankhya (11 verses)