प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये |
बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ||१८-३०||
pravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ ca kāryākārye bhayābhaye . bandhaṃ mokṣaṃ ca yā vetti buddhiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī ||18-30||
18.30 The intellect which knows the path of work and renunciation, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation that intellect is Sattvic (pure), O Arjuna.
18.30 प्रवृत्तिम् action? the path of work? च and? निवृत्तिम् the path of renunciation? च and? कार्याकार्ये what ought to be done and what ought not to be done? भयाभये fear and fearlessness? बन्धम् bondage? मोक्षम् liberation? च and? या which? वेत्ति knows? बुद्धिः intellect? सा that? पार्थ O Arjuna? सात्त्विकी Sattvic.Commentary The threefold nature of knowledge has been described already (verse 22 above). Now the threefold nature of the intellect is described. Knowledge is different from the i
Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.
18.30 O Partha, sa, that; buddhih, intellect; is sattviki, born of sattva; ya, which; vetti, understands; pravrttim, action, the path of rites and duties, which is the cause of bondage; and nivrttim, withdrawal, the path of renunciation, which is the cause of Liberation-since action and withdrawal are mentioned in the same sentence along with bondage and freedom, therefore they mean 'the path of rites and duties and of renunciation'-; karya-akarye, duty and what is not duty, i.e. what is enjoined or prohibited, [Ast. adds laukike vaidike va (ordinary or Vedic injunctions and prohibitions) after vihita-pratisiddhe; and it adds sastrabuddheh before kartavya-akartavye-what ougth to be done or ought not to be done by one who relies on the scriptures.-Tr.] what ought to be done or ought not to be done, action and inaction. With regard to what? With regard to action leading to seen or unseen, results, undertaken according to place, time, etc. Bhaya-adhaye, the sources of fear and fearlessness, i.e. the cuases of fear and fearlessness, with regard to seen or unseen objects; bandham, bondage, along with its cause; and moksam, freedom, along with its cause. In this context, knowing is a function of the intellect; but the intellect is the possesser of the function. Fortitude also is only a particular function of the intellect.
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18.30 O Partha, that intellect is born of sattva which understands action and withdrawal, duty and what is not duty, the sources of fear and fearlessness, and bondage and freedom.
This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.
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