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Chapter 3 · Karma-yoga · 43 verses

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Nature & guṇasChapter 3 · Karma-yoga
3.263.28

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 3.27

Nature, false ego and the modes

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः ।

अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ॥ २७ ॥

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

Translation

The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

False Ego and Action

  1. 1Misled by false ego, the soul thinks he performs actions actually carried out by the three modes of material nature.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that material nature works under Kṛṣṇa’s supervision; we do not act independently.
  3. 3Use your body and mind in Kṛṣṇa’s service rather than taking all credit for your actions.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 3, Karma-yoga: nature, false ego and the modes.

What it teaches

Theme summary

The modes of nature condition behavior.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: prakṛti, guṇa.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 3.27 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to nature & guṇas?

Practice

Observe which mode shaped your last decision.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 3 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 3.28Nature, false ego and the modesBG 3.29Nature, false ego and the modesBG 7.14Crossing beyond māyā

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Ask about BG 3.27 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.