Bhagavad Gita 5.14 · Krishna
Nature does the doing
न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः।
न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते॥
na kartṛtvaṃ na karmāṇi lokasya sṛjati prabhuḥna karmaphalasaṃyogaṃ svabhāvastu pravartate
The Lord does not create doership or actions for the world, nor the link of action and fruit. It is nature that moves.
Words
- svabhāva
What it means
Krishna says the divine doesn't hand out actions or attach results to people. Svabhava, one's own nature, set in motion, carries this along. We act from our nature, and results follow. The divine isn't pulling strings. Understanding this frees us from blaming God, and invites us to take care of our own nature.
The story
Arjuna might wonder if this war is God's doing. Krishna says the chain of causes runs through human natures and choices. That's not distance. It's respect for the freedom and responsibility of every being.
In your life
Picture someone who blames fate for every setback, until they notice their own habits shaping the outcome. Look at one pattern in your life. What part of it comes from your own nature and choices?
Your nature shapes your path.