Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 14 (BG 18.14) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

In this verse 18.14, the Blessed Lord Krishna, fulfilling His promise, enumerates the five causes of the accomplishment of action. The commentators of the Gita show some variation in explaining the meanings of the terms presented here. Nevertheless, this difference is not of particular significance. Every action must be performed with the aid of the gross physical body, for this is the dwelling place of the sense organs and the organs of action. The body itself cannot perform any action. The individual soul that inhabits this body—the doer—desires the objects of sense experience and then performs actions to fulfill those desires. To perceive objects, the soul requires the sense organs of perception, which are indicated here by the term "instruments." Without these instruments, the embodied soul can neither gain knowledge of this world nor experience its objects. Sri Shankaracharya, in his commentary, explains the term "separate effort" as referring to the vital functions such as breath and exhalation. For students familiar with Vedantic principles, this clarification is sufficient. However, ordinary people find difficulty in understanding its meaning. Through the vital functions of the body, the health of the physical form is maintained, by which a human being becomes capable of performing action. Therefore, for the purpose of understanding this verse, we may interpret the term "effort" as the organs of action, as has been stated in many places throughout the Gita itself. As mentioned in the Gita, our sense organs have presiding deities, and through their grace the organs of hearing, sight, and others become capable of perceiving their respective objects. These deities are indicated here by the term "divine." In summary, the five causes of the accomplishment of action are: (1) the body, (2) the individual soul as the doer, (3) the sense organs of perception, (4) the organs of action, and (5) the divine—that is, the presiding deities. The Blessed Lord continues: