Question: “One who can see that all activities are performed by the body, which is created of material nature, and sees that the self does nothing, actually sees”. Why is it said that the self does nothing and that the body is the doer?
Answer by Romapada Swami: The soul is being carried on the machine (yantra) of prakrti, or material energy, like a chariot, carries a passenger. The body is performing activities, or prakrti is the performer, not the soul.
The soul’s activity or business is to desire. We can also ‘endeavor’. See BG 18.14 the living entity is called the ‘karta’ (doer) in the Secondary sense of one who makes an endeavor (cestah). Action is actually being carried out by material nature: See BG 5.14.
