Shloka 36
Karma-Saṃnyāsa–Karma-Yoga Saṃvāda
Renunciation and the Discipline of Action
सम्बन्ध--गनुष्यका स्वधर्मपालन करनेगें ही कल्याण है, परधर्मका सेवन और निषिद्ध कमोंका आचरण करनेमें सब प्रकारसे हानि है। इस बातको भलीभॉति समझ लेनेके बाद भी मनुष्य अपने इच्छा; विचार और धर्मके विरुद्ध पापाचारमें किस कारण प्रवृत्त हो जाते हैं? इस बातको जाननेकी इच्छासे अर्जुन पूछते हैं-- अजुन उवाच अथ केन प्रयुक्तो5यं पापं चरति पूरुष: । अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजित:,अर्जुन बोले--हे कृष्ण! तो फिर यह मनुष्य स्वयं न चाहता हुआ भी बलात् लगाये हुएकी भाँति किससे प्रेरित होकर पापका आचरण करता है?
arjuna uvāca | atha kena prayukto 'yaṃ pāpaṃ carati pūruṣaḥ | anicchann api vārṣṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ ||
અર્જુને કહ્યું—હે વાર્ષ્ણેય! તો પછી આ પુરુષ ન ઇચ્છતો હોવા છતાં, જાણે બળજબરીથી નિયુક્ત થયો હોય તેમ, કોની પ્રેરણાથી પાપ આચરે છે?
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a key ethical problem: humans often act against their better judgment, as if compelled. It sets up Krishna’s ensuing explanation about the inner drivers of wrongdoing (classically identified in the Gita as desire and its transformations), and invites reflection on self-mastery and moral responsibility.
In the dialogue on the battlefield, Arjuna turns from general reflections on right conduct to a pointed question: if one understands dharma and the harm of forbidden acts, what inner power still pushes a person into sin? This question transitions the discussion toward the psychology of action and the obstacles to righteous living.