arjuna uvācha
atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ pāpaṁ charati pūruṣhaḥ
anichchhann api vārṣhṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ
arjunaḥ uvācha — Arjun said;
atha — then;
kena — by what;
prayuktaḥ — impelled;
ayam — one;
pāpam — sins;
charati — commit;
pūruṣhaḥ — a person;
anichchhan — unwillingly;
api — even;
vārṣhṇeya — he who belongs to the Vrishni clan, Shree Krishna;
balāt — by force;
iva — as if;
niyojitaḥ — engaged
In this verse, Arjuna is asking Krishna a deep question about why people do bad things even when they don't want to. He is curious about what makes someone act against their own wishes, almost as if they are being forced to do so.
To break this down, Arjuna acknowledges a truth about every human being: at their core, they are part of something divine and are naturally pure. This means that deep inside, every person is meant to be good and free from wrongdoings. However, when people are influenced by the world around them, they often end up doing bad things.
Think of it like a child who knows it’s wrong to lie but does so anyway because they fear getting into trouble or think it might help them avoid a punishment. This child did not want to lie; they were pushed into it by their circumstances. Similarly, Arjuna suggests that individuals often find themselves in situations where they act against their better judgment or moral standards.
Arjuna’s question reflects the confusion many of us feel about our actions. Why do we sometimes make choices that don’t align with our values? Why do we sometimes hurt others or ourselves? It feels as if there is an invisible force driving us to behave in ways that we may regret later. This sense of compulsion is what Arjuna is highlighting.
Arjuna is suggesting that these sinful actions don't come from a higher, pure part of oneself (like the spirit or Supersoul) because that part remains unaffected by the wrongs of the material world. Instead, they stem from other influences that Krishna will explain further. This lays the groundwork for understanding how external factors - like desires, emotions, and the environment - can push a person away from their true self and lead them to commit acts that don’t reflect who they truly are.
In summary, Arjuna’s inquiry dives into the nature of human behavior, similar to questioning why good people sometimes do bad things. It highlights the struggle between our true nature and the external forces that can sway us into actions we don't genuinely endorse.