Audio Recitation

Transliteration

yadahaṃkāramāśritya na yotsya iti manyase . mithyaiṣa vyavasāyaste prakṛtistvāṃ niyokṣyati ||18-59||

Translation

18.59 If, filled with egoism, thou thinkest: "I will not fight", vain is this, thy resolve; Nature will compel thee.

Commentary

18.59 यत् if? अहङ्कारम् egoism? आश्रित्य having taken refuge in? न not? योत्स्ये (I) will fight? इति thus? मन्यसे (thou) thinkest? मिथ्या vain? एषः this? व्यवसायः resolve? ते thy? प्रकृतिः nature? त्वाम् thee? नियोक्ष्यति will compel.Commentary This strong determination of thy mind will be rendered utterly futile by thy inner nature thy nature will constrain thee thy nature as a warrior will compel thee to fight. It is a mere illusion to say that thou art Arjuna? that these are thy relatives and that to kill them will be a sin.