Verse 18.59

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 18.59:

यद् अहङ्कारम् आश्रित्य न योत्स्य इति मन्यसे ।
मिथ्यैव व्यवसायस् ते प्रकृतिस् त्वां नियोक्ष्यति ॥ ५९ ॥

yad ahaṅkāram āśritya na yotsya iti manyase |
mithyaiva vyavasāyas te prakṛtis tvāṃ niyokṣyati || 59 ||

yat–which; ahaṅkāram–of false ego; āśritya–having taken shelter; na yotsye–I shall not fight; iti–thus; manyase–you are thinking; mithyā–vain; eva–certainly; vyavasāyaḥ–resolution; te–your; prakṛtiḥ–My illusory energy (as the quality of passion); tvām–you; niyokṣyati–will engage (in fighting).

Your resolution to not fight is solely due to this false ego, but it will only go in vain, for My material energy, in her form as the mode of passion, will compel you to fight anyway.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

“I am a kṣatriya and to fight in battle is my highest duty, but I do not wish to fight because I fear the great sin I will incur by killing so many people.” Śrī Bhagavān responds to this argument by reprimanding Arjuna, speaking this verse beginning with yad ahaṅkāram. The word prakṛtiḥ means sva-bhāva, or nature. “O great hero, you are not accepting My instructions now, but when your formidable, natural enthusiasm to fight manifests, you will make Me laugh by entering this battle and killing such worshipable personalities as Bhīṣma.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Sādhakas should never misuse their independence and engage in frivolous acts. According to the instructions of Śrī Bhagavān, they should give up the false ego of being the doer and the enjoyer and act as His servants. One should receive this instruction of Bhagavān either from Bhagavān Himself as caitya-guru within, or from the scripture spoken by Him. Or, considering the instructions of the devotees to be non-different from His, one should work only for the purpose of serving Him. If, however, one performs work with the conception of being the doer and the enjoyer, which is opposed to the instruction of Bhagavān, one becomes bound to undergo the good and bad results of those actions, life after life.