Chapter 18: Moksha Sanyaas Yoga, verse 60
स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धः स्वेन कर्मणा।
कर्तुं नेच्छसि यन्मोहात्करिष्यस्यवशोऽपि तत् ॥
Say itswbhāva-jena kaunteya nibaddhaḥ svena karmaṇā
kartuṁ nechchhasi yan mohāt kariṣhyasy avaśho ’pi tat
Translation
O Arjuna, bound by your own Karma (action) born of your own nature, that which from delusion you wish not to do, even that you shall do helplessly.
Swami Sivananda
Being bound by your own duty, born of nature, O son of Kunti, you will, being helpless, verily do that which you do not wish to do, owing to indiscretion.
Swami Gambirananda
Follows the commentary of Shankara (Advaita).
O Arjuna, bound by your own duty born out of your own inner disposition, and having no control over your own will, you will be compelled to do that very thing which you now do not desire to do through delusion.
Swami Adidevananda
Follows the commentary of Ramanuja (Vishishtadvaita).
O son of Kunti! Being firmly bound by your own duty, born of your own nature, and thus not being independent, you would perform what you do not wish to do, due to your delusion.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
Follows the commentary of Abhinavagupta (Kashmir Shaivism).
O Arjuna! Your duty binds you. It has arisen from your own nature, and that which you do not desire to do in your delusion, you will do that very thing. You are helpless.
Shri Purohit Swami
हे कुन्तीनन्दन ! अपने स्वभावजन्य कर्मसे बँधा हुआ तू मोहके कारण जो नहीं करना चाहता, उसको तू (क्षात्र-प्रकृतिके) परवश होकर करेगा।
Swami Ramsukhdas
हे कौन्तेय ! तुम अपने स्वाभाविक कर्मों से बंधे हो, (अत:) मोहवशात् जिस कर्म को तुम करना नहीं चाहते हो, वही तुम विवश होकर करोगे।
Swami Tejomayananda
Classical commentariesFor deeper study. Most are in the original Sanskrit.
Advaita
Non-dual: the self and the absolute are one.
Vishishtadvaita
Qualified non-dual: souls are real parts of the divine.
Dvaita
Dual: the soul and God are eternally distinct.
Shuddhadvaita
Pure non-dual, centred on grace and devotion.
Kashmir Shaivism
The Gita read through Trika Shaiva philosophy.
Modern teachers
20th-century teachers writing for today's readers.