Mūla — the verse
Gita Press numberingशरीरवाङ्मनोभिर्यत्कर्म प्रारभते नरः।
न्याय्यं वा विपरीतं वा पञ्चैते तस्य हेतवः
śharīra-vāṅ-manobhir yat karma prārabhate naraḥ
nyāyyaṁ vā viparītaṁ vā pañchaite tasya hetavaḥ
Anuṣṭubh
Translation
Swami Gambhīrānanda · follows Śaṅkara-bhāṣyaWhatever action a person performs with their body, speech, and mind, whether it be just or its opposite, these five are the causes of it.
हिन्दी अनुवाद — Swami Tejomayānanda
मनुष्य अपने शरीर, वाणी और मन से जो कोई न्याय्य (उचित) या विपरीत (अनुचित) कर्म करता है, उसके ये पाँच कारण ही हैं।।
Pronunciation — Vaamshii
from Vaamshiiशरीर वाङ् मनो भिर् यत्
कर्मप् रारभ ते नरः
न्याय् यँव् वा विपरी तँव् वा
पञ्चैते तस्य हेतवः
॥ १५ ॥
Read each split group as one breath-unit; hyphens join pādas kept whole for the meter or a compound word. Symbols: # upadhmānīya (visarga before p/ph), % jihvāmūlīya (visarga before k/kh), ऽ avagraha (an elided a). Full method →
Word by word
padārthaśharīra-vāk-manobhiḥwith body, speech, or mind
yatwhich
karmaaction
prārabhateperforms
naraḥa person
nyāyyamproper
vāor
viparītamimproper
vāor
pañchafive
etethese
tasyatheir
hetavaḥfactors
Themes
from The Thematic Companion to the Bhagavad GītāMeaning — Questions & Solutions
from Q&A with KnA18.15Whatever one does by body, speech or mind — how many causes stand behind it?
Whatever action a person performs with their body, speech, and mind, whether it be just or its opposite, these five are the causes of it.
The verse itself, in Swami Gambhīrānanda's rendering, is the answer. For reasoned solutions to knotty verses, browse the Q&A index.