Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 18, Verse 19: Krishna to Arjuna — Mokṣa-Sannyāsa-Yoga

Bhāṣyakāra purports

• Śaṅkaraadvaita

  Knowledge (jnana), action (karma), and agent (karta) are threefold by the distinction of the three gunas (guna-bhedata) — this is declared in the Sankhya-sastra (guna-sankhyana), which enumerates the gunas and their operations, and which, though not authoritative on the ultimate non-duality of Brahman (paramartha-brahma-aikatva), is accepted here for praising the meaning about to be set forth. Sankara insists the threefold division belongs entirely to the gunas as superimpositions on action; the self (atman) has no intrinsic agency or knowledge — these are guna-fabrications. Listen with concentrated mind (manah-samadhi) to these distinctions, for understanding them is the path to seeing through them.

• Rāmānujaviśiṣṭādvaita

  Knowledge concerning what ought to be done (kartavya-karma-visaya jnanam), the action being performed (anusthiyamanam karma), and its performer (tad-anushtata) are each declared threefold by the distinction of sattva and the other gunas. Ramanuja reads this as a practical taxonomy for the aspirant engaged in karma-yoga as bhakti-yoga preparation: knowing which quality of knowledge, action, and agent one embodies allows one to cultivate the sattvic mode that purifies the antahkarana (inner organ) for devotion to Bhagavan. 'Listen to them correctly (yathavat)' means: understand with precision how guna-graded action either supports or obstructs kainkarya (service) to the Lord.

• Madhvadvaita

  In order to set forth the means of liberation (sadhana-prathana) in terms of their guna-constitution, Krsna speaks again: jnana, karma, and karta are threefold by guna-distinction. Madhva reads guna-sankhyana as 'the context of enumerating the gunas' and treats this verse as an introductory sutra (anadi) for the detailed classification that follows (18.20-18.28). The enumeration matters because the jiva's dependence on Hari is guna-conditioned — tamasic and rajasic modes bind the jiva to samsara, whereas sattvic action directed toward Hari constitutes genuine worship and leads to liberation proportionate to the jiva's grade (uttama/madhyama/adhama).

• Vallabhaśuddhādvaita

  The knowledge previously spoken of (purvoktam jnanam), the action being performed (anusthiyamanam karma), and its performer (tad-anushtata) are declared threefold by the distinction of sattva and the other gunas — and 'Sankhya-sastra' here means the Sankhya system (sankhya ity arthah). Vallabha locates the entire triplet within Krsna's lila-prasada: even tamasic knowing and acting belong to Krsna's expressive display; the aspirant of the Pusti-marga does not strain to transcend the gunas by effort but surrenders the guna-nature itself as an offering, allowing Krsna's grace to transform the quality of knowing, acting, and being-the-agent from within.

• Śrīdharabhakti

  The three gunas are 'well enumerated by their distinct functions' (samyak-karya-bhedena khyayante) in the Sankhya-sastra, and in that sastra knowledge, action, and agent are each declared precisely threefold by sattva-etc. distinctions. Sridhara adds the crucial doctrinal clarification that the word 'only' (eva) in 'threefold only' (tridhaiiva) serves to deny that the self (atman) is intrinsically an agent, knower, or doer — agency belongs to the guna-adjunct (guna-upadhi), not to the pure self. He connects this to Ch. 14 (where the gunas were shown as the very cause of bondage) and Ch. 17 (where sattvic behavior was to be cultivated) and identifies what is new here: demonstrating that action, instrument, and result have no connection with the atman at all.

• Madhusūdanaadvaita-bhakti

  Madhusudana identifies two triads being summarized: the epistemological triad of jnana-jneya-jnata (knower-known-knowing) and the ontological-action triad of karana-karma-karta (instrument-object-agent), both being subsumed under the single claim of tri-guna constitution. The jneya (knowable) is included within jnana because knowability is a property superimposed by jnana-upadhi; the karana (instrument) and karman (object) are included within karma because instrument-hood is guna-conditioned action-hood. The separate enumeration of karta is to refute the error of those who mistake the agent for the atman itself. Madhusudana accepts the Sankhya-sastra as empirically authoritative (vyavaharika-pramanam) for guna-enumeration, even while denying it authority on paramarthika non-duality, thereby holding Advaita and Krsna-bhakti in one voice.