Mahabharata · 6.25.36
॥
Devanāgarī
अर्जुन उवाच
अथ केन प्रयुक्तो ऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः ॥
अनिच्छन्न् अपि वार्ष्णेय बलाद् इव नियोजितः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
arjuna uvāca
atha kena prayukto 'yaṃ pāpaṃ carati pūruṣaḥ ||
anicchann api vārṣṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अर्जुन उवाचarjuna uvācaArjuna said; Arjuna asked
अथ केन प्रयुक्तो ऽयंatha kena prayukto 'yaṃthen, driven by what, does this; impelled by what, then, this person
पापं चरति पूरुषःpāpaṃ carati pūruṣaḥman commits sin; a person acts sinfully
अनिच्छन्न् अपि वार्ष्णेयanicchann api vārṣṇeyaeven against his will, O Varshneya; though he does not wish it, O descendant of Vrishni
बलाद् इव नियोजितःbalād iva niyojitaḥas if driven by force; as though compelled by force
Translation
Arjuna asked: "O Varshneya, then driven by what does a man commit sin, even against his will, as though compelled by force?"
Version
357ddc5beb3d · published Jul 17, 2026, 8:55:05 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Arjuna's question turns the teaching on action inward, into the heart. If the knowledge has already been given, why does a person still act against his own better understanding? The answer will be an examination of kama — desire that distorts the will.