prakṛtyaiva ca karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni sarvaśaḥ yaḥ paśyati tathātmānam akartāraṁ sa paśyati
"One who sees that all actions are performed only by nature, and likewise that the Self is not the doer—that one truly sees."
What This Means:
True vision sees that all actions are done by prakriti (nature)—the body-mind-sense complex—not by the Self. The Self watches but doesn't act. One who sees this sees truly.
Going Deeper:
'Prakṛtyā eva karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni'—actions are being performed by prakriti alone. 'Sarvaśaḥ'—in all ways, completely. 'Ātmānam akartāram'—the Self as non-doer. This isn't passivity but recognition: the body acts according to its nature, while pure awareness observes. 'Sa paśyati'—that one sees. This releases the burden of doership.
How To Apply This:
Notice: 'you' don't make your heart beat, your food digest, or even your thoughts arise. Actions happen through the body-mind while awareness watches. Can you rest in the witnessing rather than claiming doership?
Key Sanskrit Terms: