sadṛiśhaṁ cheṣhṭate svasyāḥ prakṛiter jñānavān api
prakṛitiṁ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṁ kariṣhyati
sadṛiśham — accordingly;
cheṣhṭate — act;
svasyāḥ — by their own;
prakṛiteḥ — modes of nature;
jñāna-vān — the wise;
api — even;
prakṛitim — nature;
yānti — follow;
bhūtāni — all living beings;
nigrahaḥ — repression;
kim — what;
kariṣhyati — will do
This verse highlights an important truth: everyone, even those who know a lot, tends to act according to their true nature or personal characteristics. This means that despite what someone knows or has learned, their actions are heavily influenced by who they really are on the inside, which is shaped by their experiences and surrounding environment.
The second part of the verse asks, "What can repression accomplish?" This means if someone tries to push away their natural tendencies or desires, simply holding them back isn’t effective. For example, think of a situation where someone is trying to avoid eating their favorite snack. If they stop themselves from eating it, they might feel frustrated or restless inside. Eventually, they might give in and eat the snack, often with even more eagerness because they've been holding back.
The interpretation goes on to explain that merely having knowledge, especially knowledge that is just theoretical or academic, won’t free you from being affected by the world we live in, which is often referred to as "maya" – a state of illusion or material attachment. Even very smart people can find themselves stuck because they are still influenced by their natural instincts and emotions. This is why simply knowing things about spirituality or higher truths isn’t enough to break free from these influences.
It also mentions that some people may appear to be very advanced in their understanding of spiritual concepts on the outside, but inside, they might still be controlled by their basic urges and the nature around them. Their long history of being part of the material world keeps them tied down.
Krsna consciousness, which refers to the practice of being aware of and connected to a higher spiritual reality, helps people find a way out of these limits. It suggests that even if someone is busy with their normal responsibilities in life – like work, family, or community duties – they can still make progress towards spiritual awakening by focusing on Krsna consciousness.
Finally, the message implies that it's not wise to just quit everything in life to seem more spiritual. Instead, one should strengthen their spiritual understanding while continuing to fulfill their daily duties properly. By following this guidance, individuals can eventually achieve freedom from the material world's traps without disrupting their lives, leading to real knowledge and peace.