sadåçaà ceñöate svasyäù
prakåter jïänavän api
prakåtià yänti bhütäni
nigrahaù kià kariñyati
SYNONYMS
sadåçam-accordingly; ceñöate-tries; svasyäù-by his own; prakåteù-modes
of nature; jïäna-vän-learned; api-although; prakåtim-nature; yänti-undergo;
bhütäni-all living entities; nigrahaù-repression; kim-what; kariñyati-can
do.
TRANSLATION
Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature, for everyone follows the
nature he has acquired from the three modes. What can repression accomplish?
PURPORT
Unless one is situated on the transcendental platform of Kåñëa consciousness, he
cannot get free from the influence of the modes of material nature, as it is confirmed by
the Lord in the Seventh Chapter (7.14). Therefore, even for the most highly educated
person on the mundane plane, it is impossible to get out of the entanglement of mäyä
simply by theoretical knowledge, or by separating the soul from the body. There are many
so-called spiritualists who outwardly pose as advanced in the science but inwardly or
privately are completely under particular modes of nature which they are unable to
surpass. Academically, one may be very learned, but because of his long association with
material nature, he is in bondage. Kåñëa consciousness helps one to get out of the
material entanglement, even though one may be engaged in his prescribed duties in terms of
material existence. Therefore, without being fully in Kåñëa consciousness, one should
not give up his occupational duties. No one should suddenly give up his prescribed duties
and become a so-called yogé or transcendentalist artificially. It is better to be
situated in one's position and to try to attain Kåñëa consciousness under superior
training. Thus one may be freed from the clutches of Kåñëa's mäyä.