CH 3, Verse 33

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Chapter 3

Verse 33

 

SadRisha.n cheshhTate svasyaaH prakRiter Gnaanavaan

api /

prakRiti.n yaanti bhuutaani nigrahaH kiM karishhyati

//

 

Even a man of knowledge acts in accordance with his

own nature. All living beings follow their nature.

What can restraint do?

 

 

LESSONS FROM BHAGAVAD GITA – 25

As taught by Parama Pujya Sri Swamiji

Compiled by: Swami Dattananda

Bhakti Mala, December 1994

 

”Even a man of knowledge acts in accordance with his

own nature. All living beings follow their nature.

What can restraint do?”

 

All living beings behave in keeping with their own

nature (Prakriti). Even a learned man behaves in

keeping with his own nature.

 

Animals like lions and tigers are cruel by nature.

They eat the flesh of other animals and live, whereas

cows and goats are mild by nature, and are

vegetarians. Some creatures live on earth, some in

water while some others live in the air. A tiger

cannot take to vegetarian diet, a cow cannot eat

flesh, and a fish cannot live on sand. Each creature

has its own individual nature and to bring a change in

its nature is not possible.

 

Changing the nature of human beings is also difficult,

although not impossible. Here nature means all the

tendencies, impressions, and desires which a man has

brought through his previous lives. No one can

restrain it. He is bound to follow it.

 

Arjuna was a kshatriya born to do actions of a heroic

nature. But as his opponents in the war were his

relatives, he was disinclined to fight. Instead of

killing his own kith and kin in the war, he thought

that it would be better for him to accept the life of

a mendicant living on alms. But he did not realize

that his detachment and dispassion for a worldly life

was only momentary and would not last long. If he had

turned a mendicant, soon would he have reverted to his

own nature which was of a heroic (Rajasic) attitude.

His nature would not have allowed him to stick to the

life of austerities of a mendicant.

 

The idea is, that a man has to elevate himself, by

following his own nature and by performing the duty

fallen to his lot, in a detached manner. Arjuna’s

duty was to fight for a just cause in order to

establish righteousness on earth. He had to perform

his duty as a dedication to God aimed at the welfare

of the society. But he was unwilling to carry out his

duty because of attachment to his relatives, although

they were wicked to the core. And becuase of that

reason, he was going to take to the life of a recluse,

which was not at all in keeping with his nature and

disposition.

 

A king or a military general cannot give up his active

heroic life all of a sudden and become a saint. So

also, a saint cannot give up his austerity and

gentleness and take to the life of a soldier. A fool

cannot be wise and a wise man cannot act as a fool.

Therefore it is said, ”even a man of knowledge acts in

accordance with his own nature.”

 

Thus it is clear that even a learned man can act only

in conformity with his nature, which is constituted of

his instincts and thought-patterns formed through his

past several lives. Then what to speak of the

ignorant people who are verily creatures of the

impulses of their minds? Here what the Lord wants to

make clear is that it is not possible at all for

anyone to give up his nature all of a sudden. So if

you want to aid the growth of a man, you have to

induce him to evolve in tune with his own nature and

not otherwise.

 

The lord’s intention is to point out the force and

power of the tendencies (vasanas) dwelling in the mind

of a man and not to discourage the practice of

self-restraint. Therefore, only by a systematic

practice of Karma Yoga (yoga of selfless actions) and

jnana yoga (yoga of knowledge,) one will be able to

transcend one’s nature. The practice of yoga is a

gradual one and the tendencies of the mind cannot be

eradicated by a sudden impulsive movement. Yoga is to

be practiced with great caution and inward composure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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