Chapter 18, Verse 59
Part of 18: Mokṣha Sanyās Yog — मोक्षसंन्यासयोगयदहङ्कारमाश्रित्य न योत्स्य इति मन्यसे।मिथ्यैष व्यवसायस्ते प्रकृतिस्त्वां नियोक्ष्यति॥
Transliteration
yad ahankāram āśhritya na yotsya iti manyase mithyaiṣha vyavasāyas te prakṛitis tvāṁ niyokṣhyati
Meaning
If, filled with egoism, thou thinkest, "I will not fight," then thy resolve is vain; nature will compel thee.
Word-by-word meaning
yat — ifahankāram — motivated by prideāśhritya — taking shelterna yotsye — I shall not fightiti — thusmanyase — you thinkmithyā eṣhaḥ — this is all falsevyavasāyaḥ — determinationte — yourprakṛitiḥ — material naturetvām — youniyokṣhyati — will engage
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 59?▼
If, filled with egoism, thou thinkest, "I will not fight," then thy resolve is vain; nature will compel thee.
Which chapter and verse of the Bhagavad Gita is this?▼
This is verse 59 of Chapter 18 (Mokṣha Sanyās Yog — Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender) of the Bhagavad Gita, a scripture of 18 chapters and 700 verses spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna.