Shloka 36

Karma Yoga — Karma Yoga

Devanagari script

अर्जुन उवाच । अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः ॥ ३.३६ ॥

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | atha kena prayukto 'yaṁ pāpaṁ carati pūruṣaḥ anicchann api vārṣṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ || 3.36 ||

Translation

Arjuna said: Then by what is a person impelled to commit sin, even unwilling, O Vārṣṇeya, as though driven by force?

Gita Press Meaning

Arjuna said: Then by what is a person impelled to commit wrongdoing, even unwilling, as if driven by force, O descendant of Vṛṣṇi?

Speakers

• Arjuna

Primary Concepts

• Kleśa-like afflictions
• Agency
• Saṁskāra
• Moral psychology

Key Themes

• Problem of akrasia (weakness of will)
• Human agency vs conditioning
• Ethical motivation