karanani nibodha me

sankhye krtante proktani

siddhaye sarva-karmanam

adhisthanam tatha karta

karanam ca prthag-vidham

vividhas ca prthak cesta

daivam caivatra pancamam

O mighty-armed Arjuna, learn from Me of the five factors which bring about the accomplishment of all action. These are declared in sāṅkhya philosophy to be the place of action, the performer, the senses, the endeavor, and ultimately the Supersoul.

karma prarabhate narah

nyayyam va viparitam va

pancaite tasya hetavah

śarīra—body; vāk—speech; manobhiḥ—by the mind; yat—anything; karma—work; prārabhate—begins; naraḥ—a person; nyāyyam—right; vā—or; viparītam—the opposite; vā—or; pañca—five; ete—all these; tasya—its; hetavaḥ—causes.

Whatever right or wrong action a man performs by body, mind or speech is caused by these five factors.

atmanam kevalam tu yah

pasyaty akrta-buddhitvan

na sa pasyati durmatih

tatra—there; evam—certainly; sati—being thus; kartāram—of the worker; ātmānam—the soul; kevalam—only; tu—but; yaḥ—anyone; paśyati—sees; akṛta-buddhitvāt—due to unintelligence; na—never; saḥ—he; paśyati—sees; durmatiḥ—foolish.