Bhagavad Gita — Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Shloka 59

Moksha Sannyasa Yoga

Devanagari script

यदहंकारमाश्रित्य न योत्स्य इति मन्यसे । मिथ्यैष व्यवसायस्ते प्रकृतिस्त्वां नियोक्ष्यति ॥ १८.५९ ॥

Transliteration

yad ahaṅkāram āśritya na yotsya iti manyase | mithyaiṣa vyavasāyas te prakṛtis tvāṁ niyokṣyati || 18.59 ||

Translation

अहंकाराचा आधार घेऊन ‘मी युद्ध करणार नाही’ असे तू मानत असशील, तर तुझा हा निश्चय मिथ्या आहे; तुझी प्रकृती तुला कर्मातच प्रवृत्त करील.

Gita Press Meaning

यदि तुम अहंकार का आश्रय लेकर यह मानते हो कि ‘मैं युद्ध नहीं करूँगा’, तो तुम्हारा यह निश्चय मिथ्या है; तुम्हारी प्रकृति तुम्हें कर्म में लगा देगी।

Critical Edition Meaning

If, relying on egoism, you think ‘I will not engage in battle/action,’ this resolve of yours is mistaken; your nature will compel you into action.

Comparative Note

‘योत्स्य’ historically refers to fighting in the epic setting, but many interpreters generalize it to ‘undertaking one’s duty-bound action.’ ‘प्रकृति’ is read either as one’s psycho-physical constitution shaped by guṇas and past habituation, or as the broader cosmic nature; both support the idea of compulsion through conditioned tendencies.

Word by Word

• यत्: that which / because (that)
• Root: यद्

• अहंकारम्: ego-sense, ‘I’-notion
• अहंकारम्: Karma
• Root: अहंकार

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to, relying on
• Root: आ-श्रि (√श्रि)

• न: not
• Root: न

• योत्स्ये: I shall fight
• Root: युध् (√युध्)

• इति: thus (thinking/saying)
• Root: इति

• मन्यसे: you think, you suppose
• Root: मन् (√मन्)

• मिथ्या: falsely, in vain
• Root: मिथ्या

• एषः: this
• Root: एतद्

• व्यवसायः: resolve, determination, decision
• व्यवसायः: Karta
• Root: व्यवसाय

• ते: your
• Root: युष्मद्

• प्रकृतिः: nature, one’s constitutive nature
• प्रकृतिः: Karta
• Root: प्रकृति

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Root: युष्मद्

• नियोक्ष्यति: will compel, will yoke/drive (you)
• Root: नि-युज् (√युज्)

Speakers

• Krishna
• Arjuna

Primary Concepts

• Prakṛti
• Guṇas
• Ahaṅkāra
• Karma (action and disposition)

Key Themes

• Limits of ego-based choice
• Conditioned agency
• Duty versus avoidance

FAQs

Psychological significance?

The verse anticipates a conflict between conscious intention and ingrained disposition: even if one declares avoidance, habitual patterns and temperament can override stated plans, especially when the intention is motivated by ego-reactivity.

Metaphysical meaning?

It implies that embodied agency is constrained by prakṛti (guṇa-conditioned nature). Genuine freedom is associated with insight that loosens identification with ego and conditioned impulses.

Contextual relevance?

Krishna addresses Arjuna’s earlier reluctance by arguing that refusal is unstable if it contradicts Arjuna’s own warrior-social role and temperament within the epic framework.

Modern Application?

It can be applied to behavior change: commitments that ignore deep conditioning often fail; sustainable change requires working with one’s dispositions through training, reflection, and supportive structures.