सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि ।
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति ॥
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
सम्पूर्ण प्राणी प्रकृतिको प्राप्त होते हैं । ज्ञानी महापुरुष भी अपनी प्रकृतिके अनुसार चेष्टा करता है । फिर इसमें किसीका हठ क्या करेगा ॥
English
Even the wise act according to their own nature. All beings follow nature; what can restraint do?
What this verse means
Even a wise person acts according to their own nature. Every living being follows its nature, so force alone cannot change that.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Arjuna is frozen between duty and grief. Krishna explains that deep tendencies shape behavior: even the wise act from their nature. This verse prepares Arjuna to understand why mere force cannot solve inner conflict.
Why this verse still matters
You promise yourself you will not check the phone again, then your hand reaches for it before you notice. Krishna points to the harder truth: habits run deep, and brute force alone rarely wins.
The takeaway
There is relief in seeing that not everything yields to willpower.
Word-by-word translation
सदृशं (according to) / चेष्टते (acts) / स्वस्याः (of one's own) / प्रकृतेः (nature) / ज्ञानवान् अपि (even the wise) / प्रकृतिम् (nature) / यान्ति (go to) / भूतानि (all beings) / निग्रहः (restraint) / किम् (what) / करिष्यति (will do)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3: Karma Yoga — The Yoga of Action, which contains 43 verses.
Explore related themes: gunas (47 verses), prakriti (31 verses), self mastery (16 verses)