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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 60 (18.60)

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 60 (18.60)

स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धः स्वेन कर्मणा । कर्तुं नेच्छसि यन्मोहात्करिष्यस्यवशोपि तत् | | १८-६० | |

svabhāvajena kaunteya nibaddhaḥ svena karmaṇā kartuṁ nechchhasi yanmohātkariṣhyasyavaśhopi tat

Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
  • वभव-एन (svabhāva-jenā) — स्वभाव(born of nature)
  • कौन्तेय (Kaunteya) — हे कुन्तीपुत्र(Arjuna)
  • इबध (nibaddhaḥ) — इबध(bound)
  • एन (svena) — एन(by your own)
  • कमन (karmaṇā) — कमन(by duty)
Line 2:
  • कर्तुम् (kartum) — करने में(to perform)
  • nec joined in nechchhasi
  • (ca) — और(and)
  • si joined in nechchhasi
  • यत् (yat) — जिसे(which)
  • मोहात् (mohāt) — मोह से(out of delusion)
  • कइयइ (kariṣhyasi) — कइयइ(you will do)
  • अवशः (avaśhaḥ) — विवश होकर भी(even helplessly)
  • अपि (api) — विवश होकर भी(even helplessly)
  • तत् (tat) — वह(that)

English: Arjuna, Your duty binds you. From your own nature has it arisen, and that which in your confusion you want not to do, that very thing you will do. You are helpless.

💡 Commentary Note

Arjuna is bound by his own Kshatriya nature and past karma. Delusion may cause him to hesitate, but his nature will compel him to fight.

Learnings from Shloka 60:
  • Bound by Temperament:: Inherent qualities force us to respond to situations in specific ways.
  • Work as Purifier:: Accept your duties and use them to purify your mind rather than resisting them.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 18.60 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary