​Are we forced to act according to our nature?

Answer Podcast

Thank you so when Krishna says when he is forced to act according to one’s nature it is in 18.59 and 18.60 what does it mean? yes when we talk about nature there are different things that are talked about the word nature it is also multivalent so one is our basic inclination some people for example are introvert some people are extrovert and this is basic nature like that there are different features of nature some people if they are in a group they will actually gel with others in the group some other people they just want to be to themselves for some time this is nature and this cannot be changed so in the context of the Bhagavad Gita Krishna is saying Arjuna you are a Kshatriya you have a nature to rule you have a nature to fight you have a nature to administer you are a martial guardian of society and if you become a pacifist as are the intellectuals intellectuals don’t take up arms and fight you become a Brahmana that will not work for you so Krishna is telling Arjuna that if you give up your nature of Kshatriya and try to act artificially like a renunciate Brahmana that is not going to work so better act as a Kshatriya but act as a Kshatriya in a dharmic way so now our nature is something which is the natural force within us so if we have to go against that force that is quite difficult and to some extent we might be able to go but we can’t go for long we can’t go much but if that natural force can be channeled constructively then that can help us to make positive contributions we can use our talents we can act according to our interest and we can contribute optimally so this is the understanding of nature that we have certain psychophysical patterns of behavior or inclinations which we can channel in our constructively in our material and spiritual lives and that we should channel beyond this there is also when we talk about internally Krishna talks about basically three broad kinds of we could say forces within us or kinds of emotions there are material emotions which are anti devotional which are immoral or anti devotional now if somebody says ya you know as soon as I see something in a shop it is natural for me to shoplift now this is not nature in the sense that Bhagavad Gita talks about this is a part of the lower nature so if this is within Kshatriya nature itself see Kshatriyas have a nature to rule to administer, to fight but if a Kshatriya starts fighting for no reason then that will become like what we have is Gundagardhi people just fighting for small small things for no reason at all that is undesirable, you see the Bhagavad Gita is a whole deliberation why we should fight or not the whole philosophy about it is discussed so the nature to act in particular ways is there but within that nature to act also there is a lower side so that lower mode of acting is because of the lust, the anger, the greed, the envy the pride, the illusion within us these are our inner enemies in whatever way we want to act and that needs to be countered so if by nature we refer to our innate propensities to function in particular ways in this world, then that nature should be channeled we understand our nature and we channel it in our practice of bhakti in our practice of bhakti in our conduct in our life but if somebody talks about the forces that are driven by greed or lust or anger or whatever then those need to be regulated Jai Shatru Mahabaho Kama Rupam Durasana Kshatriya talks about the selfish desire, we have to give that up that is lower nature so when we talk about nature it can refer to various things it can refer to our innate psychophysical nature which can be channeled the lower nature in terms of selfish desires that needs to be covered and the highest level the nature means our spiritual nature we as souls are parts of Krishna and we are meant to love and serve Krishna when we are completely purified that loving and serving Krishna will be entirely natural to us when Krishna talks about when we talk about something which is natural we may refer to it in terms of our selfish desires of our self-centered nature that has to be given up but what can be of a psychophysical pattern of behaviour if that is usable in our life then that should be utilised that is what Krishna is talking about does it answer your question? you can speak, I’ll repeat it mic doesn’t work so does it mean that we should utilise Krishna’s service they should necessarily be utilised or is it that you don’t need to you can make that choice what you can utilise what you want to utilise and what you don’t want to utilise