Verse 5.15
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः। अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः।।
Transliteration (IAST)
nādatte kasyacit pāpaṁ na caiva sukṛtaṁ vibhuḥ। ajñānenāvṛtaṁ jñānaṁ tena muhyanti jantavaḥ।।
Word-by-Word Meanings
न आदत्ते-does not accept
पापम्-sin
सुकृतम्-merit
विभुः-the all-pervading Lord
अज्ञानेन-by ignorance
ज्ञानम्-knowledge
मुह्यन्ति-are deluded
Translation
The all-pervading Lord accepts neither the sin nor the merit of anyone. Knowledge is veiled by ignorance; thereby beings are deluded.
Commentary
God does not dispense rewards or punishments - the law of karma operates automatically through nature. Beings suffer because their innate knowledge is covered by ignorance (avidyā), causing them to identify with the body-mind and its actions. Removing this ignorance is the path to freedom.
Themes
jnanakarmaatman