Bhagavad Gita · 3.32 · Path of Selfless Service·32 of 43
ये त्वेतदभ्यसूयन्तो नानुतिष्ठन्ति मे मतम्।सर्वज्ञानविमूढांस्तान्विद्धि नष्टानचेतसः ॥
ye tvetad abhyasūyanto nānutiṣhṭhanti me matam
sarva-jñāna-vimūḍhāns tān viddhi naṣhṭān achetasaḥ
Sanskrit recitation
Your work, not someone else’s · 3.30–3.35 · Teaching
Translation
But those who criticize My teaching and do not practice it, deprived of all knowledge and lacking discernment, know them to be doomed to destruction.
Meaning
The pigheaded people who are obstinate, who find fault with the teachings of the Lord and who do not practise them are certainly doomed to destruction. They are incorrigible and senseless persons indeed.
After Swami Sivananda
Your work, not someone else’s· 3.30–3.35→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 3.30Renouncing all actions in Me, with the mind centered on the Self, free from hope and egoism, and from mental fever, fight thou.
- 3.31Those who constantly practice this teaching of Mine with faith and without caviling, they too are freed from actions.
3.32But those who criticize My teaching and do not practice it, deprived of all knowledge and lacking discernment, know them to be doomed to destruction.
- 3.33Even a wise man acts in accordance with his own nature; beings will follow their nature; what can restraint do?
- 3.34Attachment and aversion for the objects of the senses abide in the senses; let no one come under their sway; for, they are his enemies.
- 3.35Better is one's own duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty of another well discharged. Better is death in one's own duty; the duty of another is fraught with fear.
Word-by-word→
- me
- my
- na
- not
- tu
- but
- ye
- those
- etat
- this
- tān
- they are
- matam
- teachings
- viddhi
- know
- achetasaḥ
- devoid of discrimination
- naṣhṭān
- ruined
- vimūḍhān
- deluded
- sarva-jñāna
- in all types of knowledge
- abhyasūyantaḥ
- cavilling
- anutiṣhṭhanti
- follow
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