BG 18.13

O mighty-armed Arjuna, according to the Vedānta there are five causes for the accomplishment of all action. Now learn of these from Me.

18.13. O mighty-armed one ! Learn from Me these following five causes that have been declared in the conclusion of deliberations [on proper knowledge], for the accomplishment of all actions.

18.13 I will tell thee now, O Mighty Man, the five causes which, according to the final decision of philosophy, must concur before an action can be accomplished.

18.13 See Comment under 18.17

18.13 'Sankhya' means Buddhi (reasoning). 'Sankhya-krtanta' means that which is determined after due deliberations by the Buddhi in accordance with the Vedas on the nature of the things as they are. Learn them from Me. There are five causes for the accomplishment of all actions. But the understanding according to the Vedas (Vaidiki-buddhi) is that the Supreme Self alone is the agent working through body, senses, Pranas and the individual self, as asserted in the following Srutis: 'He who, dwelling in the self, who rules the self from within your self, the Inner Ruler, immortal' (Br. U. Madh., 3.7.22), and 'He who has penetrated the interior, is the Ruler of all creatures and the Self of all' (Tai. A., 3.11.3). Sri Krsna nows sets forth the five causes:

18.13 O mighty-armed one, nibodha, learn; me, from Me; imani, these; panca, five; karanani, factors, accessories, which are going to be stated-for drawing the attention of his (Arjuna's) mind and for showing the difference among these categories [Categories: locus (body) etc], the Lord praises those accessories in the succeeding verses as fit for being known-; siddhaye, for the accomplishment; sarva-karmanam, of all actions; proktani, which have been spoken of; sankhye, in Vedanta-sankhya is that scripture where the subject-matters [In the sentence, 'Thou art That', the word Thou means the individual Self, and That means Brahman. The comprehension of their unity, and also 'hearing, reflection and meditation' are referred to as the subject-matters.] to be known are fully (samyak) stated (khyayante)-; krtante, in which actions terminate. Krtante alifies that very word (Vedanta). Krtam mean action. That in which occurs the culmination (anta) of that krtam is krtantam, i.e. the termination of actions. In the texts, '৷৷.as much utility as a man has in a well' (2.46), and 'O son of Prtha, all actions in their totality culminate in Knowledge' (4.33), the Lord shows the cessation of all actions when the knowledge of the Self dawns. Hence (it is said): '৷৷.which have been spoken of in that Vedanta where actions culminate and which is meant for the knowledge of the Self.' Which are they? This is being answered:

18.13 Learn from Me, O Arjuna, these five causes for the accomplishment of all acts, as described in Sankhya-krtanta - the science of the exact understanding of things for the accomplishment of works.

18.13 O mighty-armed one, learned from Me these [Another reading is etani.-Tr.] five factors for the accomplishment of all actions, which have been spoken of in the Vedanta in which actions terminate.