Bhagavad Gita - Daily - II CHAPTER 3-33 II

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Gita 3-33

sadrsam cestate svasya, prakriter jnanavan apiprakritim yanti bhutani, nigrahah kim karishyati"

All beings follow their nature, even a man of knowledge acts in accordance with his own nature. What then can any external restraint do?"

Comment:

Chetna (consciousness) remains the same while Prakriti (Nature) always changes. Therefore, there is no change in the Self of man of knowledge but there is a change in his Svabhaav (habitual nature). His Svabhaav is pure because it is not tainted with likes and dislikes. In spite of purity of his Svabhaav, the man of knowledge (Depending upon the path he chose to attain knowledge, there may be subtle impressions of that path still left in him), which may exhibit different behavior patterns.

From "Gita Prabodhani" in Hindi by Swami Ramsukhdasji---

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3, Verse 33 is as follows;

Sadrusham = in accordance with

Cheshtate = acts

SvasyaaH = his own

PrakruteH = of nature

Dnyaanvaan = a wise man

Api = even

Prakrutim = to nature

Yaanti = follow

Bhootaani = beings

NigrahaH = restraint

Kim = what

KariShyati = will do

English translation:-

Even a wise person behaves in accordance with his / her intrinsic nature and similarly all the living beings follow their own innate nature. What can repression accomplish? What is the purpose of restraint in such cases?

Comment:

Nature is indeed hard to repress. Nature i.e. Prakruti is the mental equipment with which every living being is born as the result of respective individual `Poorva Krutam' i.e. past deeds. Please refer verse 21 in chapter 13 in Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta in support of this argument.

Nature means impressions of work, righteous as well as unrighteous ones, which manifest themselves in the present life form and thereafter. According to the respective intrinsic nature, every living being behaves and acts; irrespective of the fact whether he / she is a knowledgeable one or a foolish one. What can repression or prohibition either by Me i.e. Vaasudeva, the personification of the Supreme Self or by anyone else be of any avail?

Restraint can not avail, since actions flow inevitably from the workings of Prakruti and the Self is only an impartial and dispassionate witness. Therefore, Lord Krishna clarifies that even the Supreme Being does not interfere in the freedom of thought, freedom of expressions and freedom of action of every living being.

If Lord Krishna wanted to interfere or influence, he could have easily prevailed on Duryodhana to refrain from becoming the epicenter of the impending epic battle. Lord Krishna tried his best to persuade him, but he did not dictate his terms. This can be easily inferred from the following dialogue between Lord Krishna and Duryodhana.

Lord Krishna, "Duryodhana, you are great warrior and the heir apparent to the Kuru kingdom being the eldest amongst the Kauravaas. Why don't you give away just five villages to the Paandavaas that they are asking for and let them live peacefully hereafter?"

Duryodhana, "Vaasudeva, your argument is not acceptable to me at all. I know what `Dharma' is, but that is not my `PravruttiH' i.e. natural tendency. I also know what `A-Dharma' is, but from that there is never my `NivruttiH' i.e. cessation. Therefore, leave me alone and let me live upto my innate nature, as I am ready to face all the resultant consequences."

Lord Krishna, "You have every right to act according to your Prakruti. I give you my entire armed forces with their arsenals, as desired by you and I wish you all the best."

Please note that Duryodhana never referred to Lord Krishna by any other name but `Vaasudeva i.e. son of `Vasudeva'; as he hated him and thought that Vaasudeva was the real game spoiler in all his dastardly deeds.

Your physical body, mind and the senses are part of the cosmic nature of God and hence not "yours." They function in accordance with the nature of the cosmic energy they possess. The eyes see illumined objects. The ears hear sounds. The tongue tastes. These things happen even in the case of the wisest man, so long as there is the presence of the enlivening spirit in his body. As long as the mind is linked with the body, the senses will function naturally.

There is a vibratory correlation between the senses and their particular objects. It is like correlation between wavelengths and the broadcasting system. When you tune a radio waves communications receiver, at a particular point the receiver picks up certain wavelengths (short, medium or long) and not others. The vibratory scales of light and sighted object by an eye, sound and ear, smell and nose, etc. are identical, and so they mutually react. This reaction is either favorable or unfavorable, in accordance with whether the sensation is pleasant or unpleasant. Up to this point, the process is automatic and mechanical. However, if the mind is introverted and the intelligence is united with the Self, then there will be equilibrium within oneself, even though the senses might continue to react naturally. But if the mind is extroverted, through thought processes it registers a pleasant experience, for example, likes it, revives it as memory and desires a repetition and continued possession of the material sensual object; then almost a chain-reaction towards self-destruction is set in motion.

All living beings are mere tangible expressions of their inherent individual `Vaasanaas' i.e. unfulfilled residual desires. Every living being expresses his / her own `Vaasanaas' in the form of physical actions, emotional feelings, intellectual thoughts coupled with unique ideas and solutions to various problems. It is upto every Sadhak to draw a line and not to get overpowered by intrinsic inherent nature or engulfed in the vortex of the `Vaasanaas' and thus avoid eventual downfall. As a greedy person is always careful that he should not incur any losses; similarly a Sadhak should be careful that he should not indulge into any activity with outpouring of uncontrollable emotions of either extreme of attachment or aversion.

In the process of listening, reading and acquiring knowledge and after careful mulling over the ideas, every Sadhak converts knowledge into wisdom. During this metamorphosis, his / her unfulfilled desires continue their expression. Therefore, instead of losing hope, a Sadhak should continue his divine journey of spiritual study and practice without disillusionment with the firm belief that `one day he / she shall overcome' the play of Prakruti and achieve the goal of Self realisation and eventually become one with the Brahman.

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi

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