na tvevāhaṁ pāpaṁ pravartayāma āsurīm imām । vyāmoḥāyaiva sarvabhūtānāṁ pravṛttim
“But I did not originate this (asuric) tendency for the confusion of beings.”
Structure
na tu eva aham pāpaṁ pravartayāma āsurīm imām vyāmoḥāya eva sarva bhūtānāṁ pravṛttim
aham (I) eva (certainly) na tu (not) pāpaṁ (sinful) imām (this) āsurīm (demon-like) pravṛttim (behavior) sarva (all) bhūtānāṁ (beings) vyāmoḥāya (for the bewilderment of) eva (alone) pravartayāma (have started)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| na | na | indeclinable | — | not |
| tu | tu | indeclinable | — | indeed, however |
| eva | eva | indeclinable | — | only, indeed |
| ahaṁ | ahaṁ | pronoun | nominative · singular | I |
| pāpaṁ | pāpaṁ | noun | accusative · singular · neuter | sin |
| pravartayāma | pravartayāma | verb | √vart · laṣ-aorist · first | I cause to begin |
| āsurīm | āsurīm | adjective | — | demon-like |
| imām | imām | pronoun | accusative · singular · feminine | this |
| vyāmoḥāya | vyāmoḥāya | compound | karmadhāraya · "vyāmoha + āya" | for the confusion |
| eva | eva | indeclinable | — | only, indeed |
| sarva | sarva | adjective | — | of all |
| bhūtānāṁ | bhūtānāṁ | noun | genitive · plural · neuter | beings |
| pravṛttim | pravṛttim | noun | accusative · singular · feminine | endeavour |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): In his commentary on the Bhagavad Gītā, Śaṅkara interprets this verse as a demonstration of the non-dual nature of reality. He argues that the āsuric tendency is not created by the Lord, but rather it is a manifestation of the ignorance (avidyā) that veils the true nature of the Self (ātman). Śaṅkara cites the example of the sun and the shade, where the shade is not created by the sun, but is rather the absence of sunlight. Similarly, the āsuric tendency is not created by the Lord, but is rather the absence of knowledge (jñāna) of the true nature of the Self. This verse points to the brahman-ātman identity, where the ultimate reality (brahman) is identical with the individual Self (ātman). Śaṅkara's commentary on this verse emphasizes the importance of self-inquiry (ātma-vichāra) to realize this non-dual nature of reality.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya): Rāmānujācārya, in his commentary on the Bhagavad Gītā, interpret this verse as a demonstration of the Lord's (Īśvara) relationship with the individual souls (jīva). He argues that the āsuric tendency is a result of the jīva's free will (svatantra), which is granted by the Lord. However, the Lord does not create this tendency, but rather allows it to manifest as a means of testing the jīva's devotion (bhakti). Rāmānujācārya cites the example of the Lord's relationship with the demons (asuras) in the Purāṇas, where the Lord allows them to perform their evil deeds, but ultimately brings them to justice. This verse emphasizes the importance of devotion (bhakti) and surrender (prapatti) to the Lord, as the means to overcome the āsuric tendency and attain liberation (mokṣa).
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda): Swami Vivekānanda, in his lecture on the Bhagavad Gītā, interprets this verse as a call to action for the modern individual. He argues that the āsuric tendency is a manifestation of the ego (ahaṅkāra) and the selfish desires (kāma) that plague humanity. However, this tendency is not inherent in human nature, but rather it is a result of ignorance (avidyā) and lack of self-awareness (ātma-jñāna). Vivekānanda cites the example of the modern society, where individuals are driven by selfish desires and forget their true nature as spiritual beings. This verse emphasizes the importance of self-reflection (ātma-vichāra) and self-control (ātma-sāmyama) to overcome the āsuric tendency and attain the higher states of consciousness. In his book 'The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda', he writes, 'The āsuric tendency is not a sin, but a mistake, a mistake which can be rectified by the practice of self-control and self-reflection'.