5.15 - Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 5, Verse 15

Verse 5.15 of the Bhagavad Gita addresses a profound philosophical question: If the soul is not the true doer of actions and material nature carries out our activities based on our karmic imprints, then is the Supreme Being, who controls material nature, responsible for our suffering or enjoyment? Lord Krishna emphatically clarifies this misconception.

The verse states: "Nor does the Supreme Lord assume anyone's sinful or pious activities. Embodied beings, however, are bewildered because of the ignorance which covers their real knowledge." Through these words, Krishna establishes that although the Supreme Lord (Vibhu) is the ultimate controller of everything, He does not take responsibility for the sinful actions of living entities, nor does He claim credit for their virtuous deeds.

This is a crucial distinction that helps us understand the relationship between free will and divine control. While the Supreme Being oversees the functioning of material nature, He has granted living entities the freedom to desire and choose. The actions that follow from these choices, and their subsequent consequences, belong to the living entities themselves. The Lord merely facilitates the fulfillment of their desires according to their karma, without interfering with their freedom or assuming responsibility for their choices.

The verse points to ignorance (ajnana) as the root cause of our bewilderment. This ignorance veils our true knowledge and causes us to identify with the material body instead of recognizing our spiritual nature. When our understanding is clouded by ignorance, we perceive ourselves as the doers and enjoyers of actions, becoming entangled in the cycle of karma. We forget that while we have the capacity to desire and make choices, we are ultimately dependent on material nature and the Supreme for the execution and results of those actions.

Consider a gardener who plants seeds in soil. The gardener chooses what to plant, but relies on nature (sunlight, water, soil) for the growth process. Similarly, we initiate desires and make choices, but depend on material nature for their fulfillment. Just as we wouldn't blame the sun or rain for the thorns that grow from seeds of thorny plants, we cannot hold the Supreme responsible for the consequences of our own choices. The Supreme Lord provides the field of action and the natural laws that govern cause and effect, but we choose what to plant in this field through our desires and actions.

This verse invites us to take responsibility for our actions rather than attributing our circumstances to divine intervention or punishment. When we face difficulties or enjoy successes, instead of questioning why God allowed certain outcomes, we can reflect on the desires and choices that led to these situations. This understanding is liberating because it places the power to change our circumstances within our own hands through the transformation of our consciousness and desires.

The path to freedom from this cycle lies in removing the veil of ignorance through spiritual knowledge. When we realize our true identity as spiritual beings and understand the mechanics of action and reaction in the material world, we can begin to act from a place of higher awareness rather than ignorance. This leads to actions that are aligned with our spiritual nature, gradually freeing us from the bondage of karma and the bewilderment that Krishna describes in this verse. The Supreme Lord, while omnipresent and all-controlling, respects our freedom and allows us to learn through experience, neither taking credit for our virtues nor blame for our vices.