कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥ ५ ॥
na hi kaścitkṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛt .
kāryate hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ .. 5 ..
Read the commentary
The energies (gunas) are three, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.† ‘Every one’ means every living being that is ignorant, (ajna), who knows not (the Self); for, it is said of a wise man* (that he is one) “who is unshaken by the energies” (xiv 23)
For a description of these vide Discourse xiv.
He who knows the Self is immoveable by the gunas, and is therefore said to have crossed over them. The man who knows not the Self and who has not completely controlled the body and the senses—he alone is driven to action by the gunas;—(A)
Since the Sāṅkhyas have been distinguished from the Yogins (iii. 3), the Karma-yoga, devotion to action, is indeed meant for the ignorant only, not for the wise. As for the wise who are unshaken by the gunas, and who in themselves are devoid of any change whatever, the Karma-yoga is out of place. And this was explained at length in our comments on (ii. 21.)
The unenlightened should not give up Karma-Yoga.
Now, for him who knows not the Self, it is not right to neglect the duty enjoined on him. So, the Lord says: