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Bhagavad Gita · 3.33 · Path of Selfless Service·33 of 43

सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपिप्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति

sadṛiśhaṁ cheṣhṭate svasyāḥ prakṛiter jñānavān

api prakṛitiṁ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṁ kariṣhyati

Sanskrit recitation

Your work, not someone else’s · 3.30–3.35 · Teaching

Translation

Even a wise man acts in accordance with his own nature; beings will follow their nature; what can restraint do?

Meaning

He who reads this verse will come to the conclusion that there is no scope for mans personal exertion. It is not so. Read the following verse. It clearly indicates that man can conquer Nature if he rises above the sway of RagaDvesha (love and hatred).The passionate and ignorant man only comes under the sway of his natural propensities, and his lower nature. He cannot have any restraint over the senses and the two currents of likes and dislikes. The seeker after Truth who is endowed with the four means, and who is constantly practising meditation can easily control Nature. (Cf.II.60V.14XVIII.59).

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.

Word-by-word
api
even
kim
what
yānti
follow
bhūtāni
all living beings
nigrahaḥ
repression
svasyāḥ
by their own
prakṛitim
nature
jñāna-vān
the wise
kariṣhyati
will do
sadṛiśham
accordingly
cheṣhṭate
act
prakṛiteḥ
modes of nature

Related verses

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