Chapter 18 · Verse 59

Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender

यदहङ्कारमाश्रित्य न योत्स्य इति मन्यसे।मिथ्यैष व्यवसायस्ते प्रकृतिस्त्वां नियोक्ष्यति

yad ahankāram āśhritya na yotsya iti manyase mithyaiṣha vyavasāyas te prakṛitis tvāṁ niyokṣhyati

Word Meanings

yat — if; ahankāram — motivated by pride; āśhritya — taking shelter; na yotsye — I shall not fight; iti — thus; manyase — you think; mithyā eṣhaḥ — this is all false; vyavasāyaḥ — determination; te — your; prakṛitiḥ — material nature; tvām — you; niyokṣhyati — will engage

Language:

Translation

If, driven by pride, you think "I shall not fight," your resolve is in vain — your own nature will compel you.

Commentary

यत् if? अहङ्कारम् egoism? आश्रित्य having taken refuge in? न not? योत्स्ये (I) will fight? इति thus? मन्यसे (thou) thinkest? मिथ्या vain? एषः this? व्यवसायः resolve? ते thy? प्रकृतिः nature? त्वाम् thee? नियोक्ष्यति will compel.Commentary This strong determination of thy mind will be rendered utterly futile by thy inner nature thy nature will constrain thee thy nature as a warrior will compel thee to fight. It is a mere illusion to say that thou art Arjuna? that these are thy relatives and that to kill them will be a sin.