स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धः स्वेन कर्मणा ।
कर्तुं नेच्छसि यन्मोहात्करिष्यस्यवशोऽपि तत् ॥
कर्तुं नेच्छसि यन्मोहात्करिष्यस्यवशोऽपि तत् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
हे कुन्तीनन्दन अपने स्वभावजन्य कर्मसे बँधा हुआ तू मोहके कारण जो नहीं करना चाहता, उसको तू क्षात्रप्रकृतिके परवश होकर करेगा ॥
English
Bound by your own nature-born duty, you will do what you do not want to do in confusion. Even against your will, you will act.
What this verse means
Your own nature pushes you toward certain actions. Confusion may make you resist them, but you may still end up doing them anyway.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna keeps resisting the war. Krishna tells him that his warrior nature is already shaping his choices. Even if Arjuna refuses in confusion, that same nature will still drive him to act.
Why this verse still matters
You keep saying you won't send the message, quit the job, or tell the hard truth. Hours later, the same pressure inside you pushes you to do it anyway.
The takeaway
It can feel relieving to stop fighting what your character and role are already asking of you.
Word-by-word translation
स्वभावजेन (born of one's own nature) / कौन्तेय (O son of Kunti) / निबद्धः (bound) / स्वेन (by one's own) / कर्मणा (by action) / कर्तुं (to do) / न इच्छसि (you do not wish) / यत् (that which) / मोहात् (from confusion) / करिष्यसि (you will do) / अवशः अपि (even unwillingly) / तत् (that)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18: Moksha Sanyasa Yoga — Liberation through Renunciation, which contains 78 verses.
Explore related themes: kurukshetra (95 verses)