The previous verse mentioned that the
ahankāra vimūḍhātmā
(those who are bewildered by the ego and misidentify themselves with the body) think themselves to be the doers. This verse talks about the
tattva-vit
, or the knowers of the Truth. Having thus abolished the ego, they are free from bodily identifications, and are able to discern their spiritual identity distinct from the corporeal body. Hence, they are not beguiled into thinking of themselves as the doers of their material actions, and instead they attribute every activity to the movements of the three
guṇas
. Such God-realized Saints say
jo karai so hari karai, hota kabīr kabīr
[v17]
“God is doing everything, but people are thinking that I am doing.”