Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 3 · Karma Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 3.33 सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि
श्लोक 3.33
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि ।
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति ॥
sadṛśaṃ ceṣṭate svasyāḥ prakṛterjñānavānapi |
prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati ||
हिन्दी अर्थ
ज्ञानी पुरुष भी अपनी प्रकृति के अनुसार ही आचरण करता है। सभी प्राणी अपने स्वभाव के अनुसार चलते हैं, फिर केवल हठपूर्वक दबाने से क्या होगा?
Meaning in English
Even a wise person acts according to their own nature. All beings follow their nature; what can mere suppression achieve?
Bhagavad Gita 3.33 — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सदृशम् | sadṛśam | in accordance with |
| चेष्टते | ceṣṭate | acts, behaves |
| स्वस्याः | svasyāḥ | of one's own |
| प्रकृतेः | prakṛteḥ | nature |
| ज्ञानवान् | jñānavān | the wise |
| अपि | api | even |
| प्रकृतिम् | prakṛtim | nature |
| यान्ति | yānti | follow, go to |
| भूतानि | bhūtāni | beings |
| निग्रहः | nigrahaḥ | repression, forcible restraint |
| किम् | kim | what |
| करिष्यति | kariṣyati | will do |
Explanation
Even a wise person acts according to their own nature. All beings follow their nature; what will mere repression achieve?
Krishna is realistic about human nature: tendencies formed by past habits push us, and simply suppressing them by force does not work. This explains why some reject the teaching. Shankara takes prakriti as the impressions from past actions. The verse does not deny effort; the next verse shows where effort belongs, in not falling under the sway of likes and dislikes. Aurobindo read it as a call to transform nature rather than suppress it.
भावार्थ
ज्ञानी पुरुष भी अपनी प्रकृति के अनुसार ही चेष्टा करता है। सभी प्राणी प्रकृति के अनुसार ही चलते हैं, फिर हठपूर्वक निग्रह क्या करेगा?
Living it today
Rather than fighting your temperament head-on, understand it and channel it. Lasting change works with your nature, not against it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 3.33?
Even a wise person acts according to their own nature. All beings follow their nature; what will mere repression achieve?
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 3.33?
Sri Krishna speaks this verse, in Chapter 3 (Karma Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 3.33 in daily life?
Rather than fighting your temperament head-on, understand it and channel it. Lasting change works with your nature, not against it.
Reflected on verse 3.33?
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