Verse 3.33
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि। प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति।।
Transliteration (IAST)
sadṛśaṁ ceṣṭate svasyāḥ prakṛter jñānavān api | prakṛtiṁ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṁ kariṣyati ||
Word-by-Word Meanings
सदृशम्-according to
प्रकृतेः-nature
ज्ञानवान्-the wise
भूतानि-beings
निग्रहः-repression
किम् करिष्यति-what will it accomplish
Translation
Even a wise person acts according to their own nature. All beings follow their nature. What can repression accomplish?
Commentary
Krishna acknowledges the power of innate nature (svabhava). Even the knowledgeable are influenced by their conditioning. Mere suppression of natural tendencies is futile - transformation must come through understanding, not force. This verse validates working with one's nature rather than against it.
Themes
karmadharmayoga