Shloka 29

Devanagari script

प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढा: सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु । तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्‌ कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत्‌,प्रकृतिके गुणोंसे अत्यन्त मोहित हुए मनुष्य गुणोंमें और कर्मोमें आसक्त रहते हैं, उन पूर्णतया न समझनेवाले मन्दबुद्धि अज्ञानियोंको पूर्णतया जाननेवाला ज्ञानी विचलित न करे)

Transliteration

prakṛter guṇa-sammūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇa-karmasu | tān akṛtsna-vido mandān kṛtsna-vit na vicālayet ||

Translation

Wer durch die guṇas der materiellen Natur verwirrt ist, hängt an den guṇas und an den daraus entstehenden Handlungen. Der, der das Ganze erkennt, soll die Schwerfälligen, die nur einen Teil erfassen, nicht aufwühlen; vielmehr soll er führen, ohne Verwirrung oder Verachtung zu säen—zumal wenn die Pflicht schwer ist und der Krieg herannaht.

Word by Word

प्रकृतेःof Prakriti (nature)

गुणसम्मूढाःdeluded by the guṇas

सज्जन्तेbecome attached / cling

गुणकर्मसुin qualities and actions

तान्those (people)

अकृत्स्नविदःknowers of only a part (not of the whole)

मन्दान्dull-witted / slow

कृत्स्नवित्the knower of the whole

नnot

विचालयेत्should disturb / unsettle

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

prakṛti

guṇas

karma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

People driven by the guṇas naturally cling to guṇa-based actions; therefore, the wise should not arrogantly disrupt the partially informed, but lead them skillfully toward clearer understanding and steadier dharma without causing inner conflict or resentment.

What is happening in the narrative?

On the battlefield setting of Bhīṣma Parva, the teaching addresses how knowledge should be applied amid urgent duty: even when one sees deeper truth, one should counsel others in a way that supports right action rather than destabilizing those not yet ready for full insight.