Verse 18.60

Verse 18.60: “Constrained, O Son of Kunti, by thy own inborn urge to act, what thou, through self-delusion, dost not wish to do: even that thou wilt do in sheer helplessness. (1286)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

Were one to (try to) swim towards the West when the current is flowing Eastward, it would be simply perverse on the part of the swimmer, the (powerful) current would drag him down along its own line (direction) of flow. Were a grain of rice seed to say that it would neither germinate nor grow as rice, could it go against (its own) nature? In that way, Oh you wise one, (your) inborn nature formed of the Kshatriya tradition, would make you rise up, and (your) protestation viz. ‘I’ would remain passive at this stage’, is sheer perversity.

Bravery, high spirit, mindfulness, and other qualities have been bestowed upon you while getting born, by your (Kshatriya) nature, Oh Son of Pandu, and so that Prakriti will not permit you to sit quiet, Oh Dhananjaya, unless you do actions conforming to the group of your (inherent) qualities. Therefore, Oh Kodandapani, (kodaṇḍapāṇī—one with a bow in his hand, Arjuna) being fettered by the (Kshatriya) qualities, (mentioned above), you are bound to follow the traditional duties prescribed for the Kshatriyas, and there is no doubt about it. And were you, without taking into account your birth and origin thoughtlessly to take a vow not to fight, you would, I feel sure, do (fighting) in spite of your persistently saying that you would not do anything, in the way one bound hands and feet, and put into a chariot, travels over far distant lands (diganta) even though he himself does not walk. Why did you give fight when Uttara, the eldest son of the King of Virata, began to flee (from the battle-field)?

That very Kshatriya nature of yours (that made you fight then) will make you fight (even now). You made Akshauhinis (akṣauhiṇī—made up of 218700 units in the army) of great warriors eat dust in the battlefield, and that very nature of yours will make you fight here, Oh Kodandpani [Kodandapani]. Oh, does a patient ever like illness? Or does a poverty-stricken man ever like poverty? Yet, the powerful destiny makes them suffer these. That destiny will not act differently (in your case) working as it does, under the control of God Almighty, and that God Almighty is in your heart.