Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 30 भगवद् गीता अध्याय 18 श्लोक 30 प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये। बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी।।18.30।। English Translation - Swami Gambirananda 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. English Translation - Swami Sivananda 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. English Translation - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan 18.30. The intellect which knows the activity and the cessation from the activity, the proper and improper actions, the fear and non-fear, and the bondage and emancipation-that intellect is considered to be of the Sattva (Strand). English Commentary - Swami Sivananda 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 intellect.Pravritti Action The cause of bondage the path of action. Nivritti Inaction The cause of liberation the path of renunciation the path of Sannyasa.Karyakarye The pure intellect knows what ought to be done and what ought not to be done at,particular places and times it knows the actions that produce visible or invisible results? that are enjoined or prohibited by the scriptures. It guides a man who relies on the scriptural ordinances for his daily conduct of life.Bhayabhaye Fear and fearlessness The cause of fear and fearlessness either visible or invisible.Bandham moksham Bondage and liberation together with their causes.Knowledge is a Vritti (function or state) of the intellect whereas intellect is what functions or undergoes the change of state. Even firmness is only a particular Vritti (modification or state) of the intellect. (Cf.XVIII.20) English Translation of Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya's 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. English Translation of Commentary - Dr. S. Sankaranarayan 18.30 See Comment under 18.32 English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary 18.30 Activity is that Dharma which is the means for wordly prosperity. Renunciation is that Dharma which is the means for release. The Buddhi which knows both these as they are, is Sattviki-buddhi. Further, such a Buddhi is capable of distinguishing between what ought to be done and what ought not to be done by persons of different stations in life, having as their duty activity or renunciation at particular places or times. Such a Buddhi helps them to know This ought to be done and this ought not to be done. Such a Buddhi discerns transgression of the Sastras as the cause of fear and observance of the Sastras as the cause of fearlessness. It enables one to distinguish between bondage and release, the true nature of Samsara and deliverance from it. The Buddhi that functions in these ways is Sattvika. Commentary - Chakravarthi Ji The person of sattvika intelligence understands the difference between fear caused by samsara and fearlessness caused by freedom from samsara. Rudra Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary Lord Krishna explains that those whose buddhi or intellect is situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness possess the understanding due to refined intelligence that has a natural inclination towards righteousness and abstinence from unrighteousness. They are resolute and comprehend that righteous actions lead to moksa or liberation from material existence and unrighteous actions lead to the bondage of samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death. Innately their consciousness is aware of what is to be done and what is not to be done according to time, place and circumstance. Such consciousness should be understood as the agency and the doer is but the instrument. This can be understood by the question: Is there enough wood to cook the food? Although it is not the wood that does the cooking it is the fire. So the agent is like the wood utilised as the instrument and the fire is like the consciousness represented as the agency. Brahma Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary There is no commentary for this verse. Shri Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary 1) pravrttinca is actions performed under the auspices of dharma or righteousness 2) nivrittinca is refraining from actions opposed to dharma which gives liberation 3) karya-akarye is knowing what is appropriate according to time, place and circumstance whether adhering to pravrittinca or nivrittinca 4) bhaya-abhaye is fear stemming from not adhering to the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures and fearlessness is by observing the ordinances of the Vedic scriptures 5) bandha is samsara or enslavement in the perpetual cycle of birth and death 6) moksa is liberation from material existence and release from samsara Lord Krishna is affirming the essentials of those whose buddhi or intellect is situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness as only they have the ability to realise these points. Kumara Vaishnava Sampradaya - Commentary 1) pravrttinca is actions performed under the auspices of dharma or righteousness 2) nivrittinca is refraining from actions opposed to dharma which gives liberation 3) karya-akarye is knowing what is appropriate according to time, place and circumstance whether adhering to pravrittinca or nivrittinca 4) bhaya-abhaye is fear stemming from not adhering to the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures and fearlessness is by observing the ordinances of the Vedic scriptures 5) bandha is samsara or enslavement in the perpetual cycle of birth and death 6) moksa is liberation from material existence and release from samsara Lord Krishna is affirming the essentials of those whose buddhi or intellect is situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness as only they have the ability to realise these points. Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 18.30Pravrittim cha nivrittim cha karyaakaarye bhayaabhaye; Bandhammoksham cha yaa vetti buddhih saa paartha saattwikee. Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 18.30pravṛittim—activities; cha—and; nivṛittim—renuncation from action; cha—and; kārya—proper action; akārye—improper action; bhaya—fear; abhaye—without fear; bandham—what is binding; mokṣham—what is liberating; cha—and; yā—which; vetti—understands; buddhiḥ—intellect; sā—that; pārtha—son of Pritha; sāttvikī—in the nature of goodness