Verse 3.36
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
अर्जुन उवाच। अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः। अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः।।
Transliteration (IAST)
arjuna uvāca | atha kena prayukto 'yaṁ pāpaṁ carati pūruṣaḥ | anicchann api vārṣṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ ||
Word-by-Word Meanings
केन-by what
प्रयुक्तः-impelled
पापम्-sin
चरति-commits
अनिच्छन्-unwillingly
बलात्-by force
नियोजितः-compelled
Translation
Arjuna said: O descendant of Vrishni, by what is a person impelled to commit sin, even unwillingly, as if compelled by force?
Commentary
Arjuna asks a profound psychological question: what force drives people to act against their own better judgment? This universal human experience of knowing the right thing yet doing otherwise points to a power beyond rational will. Krishna's answer will identify desire and anger as the culprits.
Themes
karmadharma