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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 3.36
अर्जुन उवाच
अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः ।
अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः ॥ ३६ ॥
arjuna uvāca
atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ
pāpaṁ carati pūruṣaḥ
anicchann api vārṣṇeya
balād iva niyojitaḥ
Arjuna said: O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force?
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Arjuna asks what forces a person to act sinfully, even against their will.
Prabhupāda explains that the soul is originally pure and part of the Supreme, but contact with material nature leads to sinful acts.
The Supersoul does not cause sinful actions. The Lord explains their cause in the next verse.
Arjuna’s enquiry — There is some force that pushes one to abandon duty and act sinfully, even against one’s own will. What is that force?
Original nature of living entity
As part and parcel of the Supreme, he is originally spiritual, pure and free from all material contaminations
Therefore he is not subject to the sins of the material world
Perverted nature of living entity
When living entity is in contact with material nature, he acts in many sinful ways without hesitation
Sometimes against his own will – He is forced to act even if he doesn’t want to
Link between 3.36 & 3.37: What impels sinful action — Supersoul or not?
Sinful actions are not impelled by the Supersoul within, but are caused by another cause mentioned in Text 3.37
They foil one’s performance of duty, and incur sin
Regulate senses and strengthen intelligence to control lust
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: saṁśaya, viṣāda.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 3.36 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to questions & crisis?
Write down the real question behind your current dilemma.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.