Verse 18.60 : Moksha Sanyasa Yoga "Liberation and Renunciation"
Verse 60 of 78
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The Translation
“O son of Kunti, bound by your own natural karma born of your own nature, that which you do not wish to do out of delusion, you will do helplessly indeed.”
Commentary & Insights
Krishna concludes this section by explaining the binding power of prakriti and natural karma. Arjuna's delusion makes him believe he can sit quietly as a monk, but the moment the crisis begins, his warrior instincts will act helplessly.
Practical Application
1
Observe your automatic habits and reactions today; instead of fighting them blindly, seek to understand their roots.
Reflections & Notes
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Self-Reflection Prompts
- How does understanding that we are bound by our conditioning (*svabhāva-ja karma*) help us be gentler with ourselves and others?
- If we must act helplessly anyway, how does the addition of awareness and devotion turn this bondage into a path of liberation?
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18.60
स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धः स्वेन कर्मणा
The force of past impressions (samskaras) is extremely strong. Arjuna's warrior conditioning will trigger an automatic response when he sees the enemies attacking. Therefore, since action is inevitable, he should perform it consciously as a spiritual discipline.