Chapter 5 - Verse 14

Nature is the source of activity.

Moreover,

न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः ।
न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते ॥ १४ ॥

na kartṛtvaṃ na karmāṇi lokasya sṛjati prabhuḥ .
na karmaphalasaṃyogaṃ svabhāvastu pravartate .. 14 ..


Neither agency nor objects does the Lord create for the world, nor union with the fruits of actions. But it is the nature that acts.
Read the commentary

The Self, the Lord (of the body), does not create agency i.e., does not of Himself urge any one to action, ‘do this.’ Neither does the Self create cars, jars, mansions, and other objects of desire. Nor does the Self unite him who makes a car or the like with the fruit of the act.

(Question):—If the Self in the body does not Himself act nor cause others to act, what then is it that acts and causes others to act?

(Answer):—Listen. It is Nature, Svabhava, Prakṛti, Māyā, ’the Divine Māyā made up of gunas’ * (vii. 14).

That is to say, Atman forms the agent, the enjoyer, and the Lord of Creation, through avidya—(A).