Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 18

ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना । करणं कर्म कर्तेति त्रिविधः कर्मसङ्ग्रहः

jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ parijñātā trividhā karmacodanā | karaṇaṃ karma karteti trividhaḥ karmasaṅgrahaḥ

Translation

Knowledge, the object known, the knower, (form) the threefold impulse to action; the organ, the end, the agent, form the threefold basis of action.

— Alladi Mahadeva Sastri

Word meanings

jñānam

knowledge

jñeyam

the knowable

parijñātā

the knower

trividhā

threefold

karmacodanā

impulse to action, incentive

karaṇam

the organ

karma

the action

kartā

the actor

iti

thus

trividhaḥ

threefold

karmasaṃgrahaḥ

of action, the assemblage

Śaṅkarācārya's commentary

Knowledge in general, object known in general, the knower partaking of the nature of upādhi — these three form the threefold impulse to all action. Performance of action with a view to avoid or obtain a thing is possible only when there is a conjunction of the three. The actions accomplished by the five causes (the body etc.), grouped into three classes according to their respective seats — speech, mind, body — are all traceable to the interplay of the organ (that by which something is done), the end (that which is sought through action), and the agent (he who sets the organs going).