BG 18.60

TEXT 60

svabhāva-jena kaunteya
nibaddhaḥ svena karmaṇā
kartuṁ necchasi yan mohāt
kariṣyasy avaśo 'pi tat

SYNONYMS

svabhāva-jena—born of your own nature; kaunteya—O son of Kuntī; nibaddhaḥ—conditioned; svena—by your own; karmaṇā—activities; kartum—to do; na—not; icchasi—you like; yat—that which; mohāt—by illusion; kariṣyasi—you will do; avaśaḥ—involuntarily; api—even; tat—that.

TRANSLATION

Under illusion you are now declining to act according to My direction. But, compelled by the work born of your own nature, you will act all the same, O son of Kuntī.

PURPORT

If one refuses to act under the direction of the Supreme Lord, then he is compelled to act by the modes in which he is situated. Everyone is under the spell of a particular combination of the modes of nature and is acting in that way. But anyone who voluntarily engages himself under the direction of the Supreme Lord becomes glorious.