Obsidian Gita
60 of 78 Verses

स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धः स्वेन कर्मणा।कर्तुं नेच्छसि यन्मोहात्करिष्यस्यवशोऽपि तत्।।18.60।।

swbhāva-jena kaunteya nibaddhaḥ svena karmaṇā kartuṁ nechchhasi yan mohāt kariṣhyasy avaśho ’pi tat

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Word Meanings

swabhāva-jena—born of one’s own material nature; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; nibaddhaḥ—bound; svena—by your own; karmaṇā—actions; kartum—to do; na—not; ichchhasi—you wish; yat—which; mohāt—out of delusion; kariṣhyasi—you will do; avaśhaḥ—helplessly; api—even though; tat—that

Translation

O Arjuna, bound by your own duty born out of your own inner disposition, and having no control over your own will, you will be compelled to do that very thing which you now do not desire to do through delusion.

Purport / Commentary

18.60 स्वभावजेन born of (thy) own nature? कौन्तेय O son of Kunti? निबद्धः bound? स्वेन (thy) own? कर्मणा by action? कर्तुम् to do? न not? इच्छसि (thou) wishest? यत् which? मोहात् from delusion? करिष्यसि (thou) shalt do? अवशः helpless? अपि also? तत् that.Commentary Thou art endowed? O Arjuna? with martial alities? prowess? valour? skill? etc. Thou art? therefore? bound by these innate alities. Thou wilt be forced to fight by thy own nature. Nature will constrain thee to fight? much against thy will.