Chapter 3 · Verse 33

Path of Selfless Service

सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि। प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति

sadṛiśhaṁ cheṣhṭate svasyāḥ prakṛiter jñānavān api prakṛitiṁ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṁ kariṣhyati

Word Meanings

sadṛiśham cheṣhṭate svasyāḥ prakṛiteḥ jñāna-vān api prakṛitim yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kim kariṣhyati

Translation

Even a wise person acts according to their own nature; all beings follow their nature. What can suppression accomplish?

Commentary

सदृशम् in accordance? चेष्टते acts? स्वस्याः of his own? प्रकृतेः of nature? ज्ञानवान् a wise man? अपि even? प्रकृतिम् to nature? यान्ति follow? भूतानि beings? निग्रहः restraint? किम् what? करिष्यति will do.Commentary 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 coner 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).