Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 29

Chapter 3 – Karma Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु ।
तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥

Transliteration

prakṛterguṇasammūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇakarmasu .
tānakṛtsnavido mandānkṛtsnavinna vicālayet ॥

Meaning

Those deluded by the gunas of Nature become attached to the actions of the gunas; one who knows the whole should not unsettle those dull persons of imperfect knowledge.

Word meanings

प्रकृतेः – of Nature
गुणसम्मूढाः – deluded by the gunas
सज्जन्ते – become attached
गुणकर्मसु – in the actions of the gunas
तान् – those
अकृत्स्नविदः – of imperfect knowledge
मन्दान् – the dull-witted
कृत्स्नवित् – the one who knows fully
न विचालयेत् – should not unsettle

Anvaya (word order)

प्रकृतेः गुणसम्मूढाः गुणकर्मसु सज्जन्ते; कृत्स्नवित् अकृत्स्नविदः मन्दान् तान् न विचालयेत् ।

Explanation

This verse repeats and deepens 3.26. Those deluded by Nature's gunas take the gunas' activity as their very life and become attached to it. They lack full understanding — they are ‘akritsna-vid’, those who know only in part. The word ‘manda’, dull, is used not to insult but to indicate a limit of understanding.

The ‘kritsna-vit’, the one who knows the whole, should not drag or frighten them away from their present path. Shankara says one who fully knows the non-doership of the Self should not refute the actions of the partly informed, since they would abandon action without gaining knowledge. Ramanuja sees here the responsibility of the superior to lead others forward according to their level.

It is a teaching of tolerance and compassion. Each person is on his own journey, and forcing someone down from his present rung is no help.

For Arjuna, too, it is important: in the name of knowledge he must not become an example that turns others away from duty.

Context

After describing doership and the knower's view in 3.27–3.28, verse 3.29 repeats the social side of the same point. In 3.30 the Lord will teach surrender of action and give the essence of the whole section.

Life lesson

Do not ridicule or disrespect those who know less. Guide through conduct and patience, for understanding develops only gradually.

Key terms

Akritsnavid: one with partial knowledge
Kritsnavit: one who knows the whole
Gunasammudha: deluded by the influence of the gunas