svabhāva-jena kaunteya nibaddhaḥ svena karmaṇā kartuṁ necchasi yan mohāt kariṣyasy avaśo 'pi tat
"Bound by your own karma born of your nature, O son of Kunti, what through delusion you wish not to do, you will do even helplessly."
What This Means:
You are bound by actions arising from your nature. What you refuse to do now due to confusion, you will end up doing anyway, even against your will.
Going Deeper:
'Svabhava-jena svena karmana nibaddha' - bound by action born of your own nature. Past karma and inherent tendencies create momentum. 'Mohat' - due to delusion - the refusal is misguided. 'Avasho api' - even helplessly, without control. This isn't fatalism but recognition of karmic consequences and the power of svabhava.
How To Apply This:
Delaying inevitable duties often means doing them under worse conditions. Better to act consciously now than be forced by circumstances later.
Key Sanskrit Terms: