B.G 18.18

ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना। करणं कर्म कर्तेति त्रिविधः कर्मसङ्ग्रहः ॥१८॥

jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ parijñātā trividhā karmacodanā। karaṇaṃ karma karteti trividhaḥ karmasaṅgrahaḥ ॥18॥

[ज्ञानम् (jñānam) - knowledge; ज्ञेयम् (jñeyam) - the object of knowledge; परिज्ञाता (parijñātā) - the knower; त्रिविधा (trividhā) - threefold; कर्मचोदना (karmacodanā) - impulse to action; करणम् (karaṇam) - instrument; कर्म (karma) - action; कर्ता (kartā) - the doer; इति (iti) - thus; त्रिविधः (trividhaḥ) - threefold; कर्मसङ्ग्रहः (karmasaṅgrahaḥ) - the aggregate of causes of actions;]

Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower constitute the threefold impulse to action. Correspondingly, instrument, action, and the doer form the threefold aggregate of causes of actions.

Gīta Bhāshya 18.18

The term 'karma saṅgrahaḥ' in the context means 'collection of causes of actions'.
The hypothesis that recommended injunctions and moral rules have no effect on sentient beings because of the non-agency, similar to inert insentient things, is refuted. A sentient being differs from an insentient because of its intentionality (apekṣya), which arises from knowledge, the object of knowledge and the knower. Even in inaction, the egoistic sense of doership, i.e. intentionality is involved. Even when one is not the doer, desires arise by the grace of God, instrumented, based on the stated causes (knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower) through the method, and the benevolent human goal is achieved through actions.

एवं तर्हि न पुरुषं अपेक्ष्य विधिः। अकर्तृत्वात् इत्यत आह - ज्ञानं इति॥

evaṃ tarhi na puruṣaṃ apekṣya vidhiḥ। akartṛtvāt ityata āha - jñānaṃ iti॥

[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; तर्हि (tarhi) - then; न (na) - not; पुरुषम् (puruṣam) - person; अपेक्ष्य (apekṣya) - depending; विधिः (vidhiḥ) - rule; अकर्तृत्वात् (akartṛtvāt) - due to non-agency; इत्यत (ityata) - thus; आह (āha) - says; ज्ञानम् (jñānam) - knowledge; इति (iti) - thus;]

Then, if it is postulated, that the rule does not dependent on a person due to non-agency, it is contradicted by the verse 'jñānaṃ', i.e. 'knowledge'.

त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना। एतत् त्रिविध मपेक्ष्य कर्मविधिः इति त्रिविधा उच्यते। कारणानि सङ्क्षिप्याह - करणं इति॥

trividhā karmacodanā। etat trividh mapekṣya karmavidhiḥ iti trividhā ucyate। kāraṇāni saṅkṣipyāha - karaṇaṃ iti॥

[त्रिविधा (trividhā) - threefold; कर्मचोदना (karmacodanā) - impulse to action; एतत् (etat) - this; त्रिविध (trividha) - threefold; मपेक्ष्य (mapekṣya) - considering; कर्मविधिः (karmavidhiḥ) - action procedure; इति (iti) - thus; त्रिविधा (trividhā) - threefold; उच्यते (ucyate) - is said; कारणानि (kāraṇāni) - causes; सङ्क्षिप्याह (saṅkṣipyāha) - summarizes; करणं (karaṇaṃ) - instrument; इति (iti) - thus;]

The impulse to action is threefold (viz knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower). Considering this threefold impulse, the procedure of how action come about is described as threefold (instrument, action, and the doer). The causes (five types stated earlier) are summarized here as 'karaṇaṃ' i.e. the instrument.

कर्म सङ्ग्रहः कर्मकारणसङ्ग्रहः। अधिष्ठानादि करणे एव अन्तर्भूतः। तथाहि ऋग्वेदखिलेषु -

karma saṅgrahaḥ karmakāraṇasaṅgrahaḥ। adhiṣṭhānādi karaṇe eva antarbhūtaḥ। tathāhi ṛgvedakhileṣu -

[कर्म (karma) - action; सङ्ग्रहः (saṅgrahaḥ) - collection; कर्मकारणसङ्ग्रहः (karmakāraṇasaṅgrahaḥ) - collection of causes of action; अधिष्ठानादि (adhiṣṭhānādi) - beginning with the foundation; करणे (karaṇe) - in the instrument; एव (eva) - indeed; अन्तर्भूतः (antarbhūtaḥ) - included; तथाहि (tathāhi) - thus indeed; ऋग्वेदखिलेषु (ṛgvedakhileṣu) - in the entire Rigveda;]

The term 'karma saṅgrahaḥ' in the context means 'collection of causes of actions'. Earlier indicated 'adhiṣṭhāna' i.e. body and others, are indeed included in the term 'instrument'. Hence, it is stated in Rigvedakhila:

"ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानिनं चाप्यपेक्ष्य विधिरुत्थितः। करणं चैव कर्ता च कर्मकारणसङ्ग्रहः॥"

"jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñāninaṃ cāpyapekṣya vidhirutthitaḥ। karaṇaṃ caiva kartā ca karmakāraṇasaṅgrahaḥ॥"

[ज्ञानं (jñānaṃ) - knowledge; ज्ञेयं (jñeyaṃ) - the knowable; ज्ञानिनं (jñāninaṃ) - the knower; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; अपेक्ष्य (apekṣya) - intentionality; विधिः (vidhiḥ) - method; उत्थितः (utthitaḥ) - arisen; करणं (karaṇaṃ) - instrument; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; कर्ता (kartā) - doer; च (ca) - and; कर्म (karma) - action; कारण (kāraṇa) - cause; सङ्ग्रहः (saṅgrahaḥ) - collection;]

"From 'knowledge, the knowable, and the knower' comes forth the intentionality governed by the methods and rules. The instrument and the doer are collectively the cause of actions."

इति।

iti।

[इति (iti) - thus;]

- stated thus.

अकर्तृत्वेपि विधिद्वार ईश्वरप्रसादात् इच्छोत्पत्त्या उक्त कारणैः कर्मद्वारा पुरुषार्थो भवतीति। ईश्वराधीनत्वेपि विधिद्वारा नियतः तेनैव। यदि च इच्छादिः जायते तर्हि कारितमेव ईश्वरेण। फलं च नियतम्। वस्तुतो अकर्तृत्वेपि अभिमानिकं कर्तृत्वं तस्यैव। स्वातन्त्र्यं च जडमपेक्ष्येव इति न प्रवृत्तिविधि वैयर्थ्यम्। सर्वं चैतत् अनुभवोक्तप्रमाणसिद्धं इति न पृथक् प्रमाणमुच्यते ॥१८॥

akartṛtve'pi vidhidvāra īśvaraprasādāt icchotpattayā ukta kāraṇaiḥ karmadvārā puruṣārtho bhavatīti। īśvarādhīnatve'pi vidhidvārā niyataḥ tenaiva। yadi ca icchādiḥ jāyate tarhi kāritameva īśvareṇa। phalaṃ ca niyatam। vastuto akartṛtve'pi abhimānikaṃ kartṛtvaṃ tasyaiva। svātantryaṃ ca jaḍamapekṣyeva iti na pravṛttividhi vaiyarthyām। sarvaṃ caitat anubhavoktapramāṇasiddhaṃ iti na pṛthak pramāṇamucyate ॥18॥

[अकर्तृत्वे (akartṛtve) - in non-doership; अपि (api) - even; विधिद्वार (vidhidvāra) - through the method; ईश्वरप्रसादात् (īśvaraprasādāt) - by the grace of God; इच्छोत्पत्त्या (icchotpattayā) - by the arising of desire; उक्त (ukta) - stated; कारणैः (kāraṇaiḥ) - by reasons; कर्मद्वारा (karmadvārā) - through actions; पुरुषार्थः (puruṣārthaḥ) - benevolent human goal; भवति (bhavati) - becomes; इति (iti) - thus; ईश्वराधीनत्वे (īśvarādhīnatve) - in dependence on God; अपि (api) - even; विधिद्वारा (vidhidvārā) - through the method; नियतः (niyataḥ) - determined; तेनैव (tenaiva) - by that alone; यदि (yadi) - if; च (ca) - and; इच्छादिः (icchādiḥ) - desire, etc.; जायते (jāyate) - arises; तर्हि (tarhi) - then; कारितम् (kāritam) - caused; एव (eva) - indeed; ईश्वरेण (īśvareṇa) - by God; फलं (phalaṃ) - result; च (ca) - and; नियतं (niyatam) - determined; वस्तुतः (vastutaḥ) - in reality; अकर्तृत्वे (akartṛtve) - in non-doership; अपि (api) - even; अभिमानिकं (abhimānikaṃ) - egoistic; कर्तृत्वं (kartṛtvaṃ) - doership; तस्यैव (tasyaiva) - of that alone; स्वातन्त्र्यं (svātantryaṃ) - freedom; च (ca) - and; जडमपेक्ष्य (jaḍamapekṣya) - in comparison to insentient, due to intentionality; एव (eva) - indeed; इति (iti) - thus; न (na) - not; प्रवृत्तिविधि (pravṛttividhi) - the injunction to act; वैयर्थ्यम् (vaiyarthyam) - futility; सर्वं (sarvaṃ) - all; च (ca) - and; एतत् (etat) - this; अनुभवोक्तप्रमाणसिद्धं (anubhavoktapramāṇasiddhaṃ) - established by experiential evidence; इति (iti) - thus; न (na) - not; पृथक् (pṛthak) - separate; प्रमाणम् (pramāṇam) - evidence; उच्यते (ucyate) - is said;]

Even when one is not the doer, desires arise by the grace of God, instrumented, based on the stated causes (Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower) through the method, and the benevolent human goal is achieved through actions. These depend on God alone, operated by Him through the governing methods. If desires arise, then they are indeed caused by God. The results are also obtained through governing principles. In reality, even in non-doership, the egoistic sense of doership, i.e. intentionality, is involved which comes under His governance. Indeed, independence (of the sentient agent) is significant in comparison to the insentient due to its intentionality, and thus the injunction (to act) is not futile. All this is established by experiential evidence, and thus separate evidence is not required.