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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 3.27
प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः ।
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ॥ २७ ॥
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate
The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Misled by false ego, the soul thinks he performs actions actually carried out by the three modes of material nature.
Prabhupāda explains that material nature works under Kṛṣṇa’s supervision; we do not act independently.
Use your body and mind in Kṛṣṇa’s service rather than taking all credit for your actions.
These notes cover verses 3.27–28
Differences in consciousness of ‘Ignorant’ (Material consciousness) and ‘Knower of Absolute Truth’ (Krishna consciousness)
Study purports 3.25; 3.27 – 3.28 to find out the differences in the following points:
ATTACHED WORKER (Ignorance) vs DETACHED WORKER (Knower of Absolute Truth)
S. DIFFERENTIATING ATTACHED WORKER (3.27) DETACHED WORKER (3.28) NO THEME 1 ‘One’ differentiating • Desires own sense • Desires Krishna’s satisfaction factor – Desire gratification 2 Convictions • Convinced by false ego that he • Convinced of his awkward position is the doer of everything in material association 3 Knowledge of • Does not know that body is • Knows his real identity as part and Identity produced by material nature parcel of the Supreme, who is which works under the eternal bliss and knowledge supervision of the Lord • Knows that somehow he is
Does not know that he is entrapped in the material under the control of Krishna conception of life
Symptoms of nescience • Meaning of “tattva-vit” – Ref. SB (Ignorance or not knowing) – One who knows the Absolute Truth One takes all the credit for in three different features and doing things independently knows one’s factual position in relationship with the Supreme 4 Engagements • Does not engage his bodily • Engages himself in the activities of and mental activity in the Krishna consciousness and thus service of Krishna; because he naturally gets unattached from forgets that the Supreme Lord activities of material senses is Hrsikesha (The master of the senses) 5 Consequences • One forgets the Supreme • Consequence of knowledge is that Personality of Godhead he is not disturbed by all kinds of material reactions; and considers all reactions to be the mercy of the Lord
Dutifully acting without attachment sets the correct example for others, who are less advanced
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: prakṛti, guṇa.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 3.27 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to nature & guṇas?
Observe which mode shaped your last decision.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.