FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 3.29

ప్రకృతేర్గుణసమ్మూఢాః సజ్జ‍న్తే గుణకర్మసు । తానకృత్స్నవిదో మన్దాన్కృత్స్నవిన్న విచాలయేత్ ॥ ౨౯ ॥
prakṛter guṇa-sammūḍhāḥ
[prakriter guna-sammoodhaah]
sajjante guṇa-karmasu
[sajjante guna-karmasu]
tān akṛtsna-vido mandān
[taan akritsna-vido mandaan]
kṛtsna-vin na vicālayet
[kritsna-vin na vichaalayet]
Word-for-word
prakṛteḥ — of material nature guṇa — by the modes sammūḍhāḥ — befooled by material identification sajjante — they become engaged guṇa - karmasu — in material activities tān — those akṛtsna - vidaḥ — persons with a poor fund of knowledge mandān — lazy to understand self-realization kṛtsna - vit — one who is in factual knowledge na — not vicālayet — should try to agitate .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
prakṛter guṇa-sammūḍhāḥ
prakṛteḥ
of material nature
guṇa
by the modes
sammūḍhāḥ
befooled by material identification
sajjante guṇa-karmasu
sajjante
they become engaged
guṇa - karmasu
in material activities
tān akṛtsna-vido mandān
tān
those
akṛtsna - vidaḥ
persons with a poor fund of knowledge
mandān
lazy to understand self-realization
kṛtsna-vin na vicālayet
kṛtsna - vit
one who is in factual knowledge
na
not
vicālayet
should try to agitate .
Important Words
  • sammūḍhāḥ — befooled by material identification
    Past participle of sam-√muh — *completely* deluded. The compound emphasis (sam-) marks that this is not casual error but full-bodied bewilderment. Kṛṣṇa is patient with them precisely because the bewilderment is so deep.
  • guṇa - karmasu — in material activities
    Compound locative. The very same guṇa-karma the tattva-vit saw clearly in 3.28, here gripping the ignorant. The verses are paired: same fabric, different fates.
  • akṛtsna - vidaḥ — persons with a poor fund of knowledge
    Compound: a-kṛtsna (not-whole) + vid (knower). Knowers of *parts*, not of the whole. The verse is precise: their failing is not absence of intelligence but absence of *kṛtsna*-completeness.
  • kṛtsna - vit — one who is in factual knowledge
    Compound: kṛtsna (whole) + vit. The whole-knower. The verse pairs the two terms within itself — partial-knowers and whole-knowers — and assigns the burden of patience to the whole-knower.
  • vicālayet — should try to agitate
    Optative causative of vi-√cal, to make tremble. The wise should *not* make them tremble. A precise verb — the temptation to shake someone awake is named exactly so it can be ruled out.
Bewildered by the modes of material nature, the ignorant fully engage themselves in material activities and become attached. But the wise should not unsettle them, although these duties are inferior due to the performers’ lack of knowledge.
Purport

Persons who are unknowledgeable falsely identify with gross material consciousness and are full of material designations. This body is a gift of the material nature, and one who is too much attached to the bodily consciousness is called manda, or a lazy person without understanding of spirit soul. Ignorant men think of the body as the self; they accept bodily connections with others as kinsmanship, the land in which the body is obtained is their object of worship, and they consider the formalities of religious rituals to be ends in themselves. Social work, nationalism and altruism are some of the activities for such materially designated persons. Under the spell of such designations, they are always busy in the material field; for them spiritual realization is a myth, and so they are not interested. Those who are enlightened in spiritual life, however, should not try to agitate such materially engrossed persons. Better to prosecute one’s own spiritual activities silently. Such bewildered persons may be engaged in such primary moral principles of life as nonviolence and similar materially benevolent work. Men who are ignorant cannot appreciate activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa advises us not to disturb them and simply waste valuable time. But the devotees of the Lord are more kind than the Lord because they understand the purpose of the Lord. Consequently they undertake all kinds of risks, even to the point of approaching ignorant men to try to engage them in the acts of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which are absolutely necessary for the human being.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
29. Those bewildered by the senses made of prakṛti are attached to the sense objects.
Commentary

One who knows everything does not disturb those foolish persons who do not know. If the jīvas are separate from the senses and the sense objects, without relationship to them, then why is it seen that people are attached to the sense objects? This verse answers. By absorption in the senses made of matter, jīvas become bewildered. Just like a man possessed by a ghost thinks himself a ghost, the jīvas absorbed in the senses made of matter think themselves to be the senses. Then they become attached to the sense objects (guṇa-karmaṣu). The man who knows all (kṛtsnavit) does not disturb those who are ignorant. He does not attempt to make them realize that they, as jīvas, are different from the senses, that they are not the senses. Instead he engages them in action without desire, which will remove the absorption in the senses. One does not cure a man possessed of a ghost even by instructing him even a hundred times, “You are a man, not a ghost!” Instead one cures him by use of mantras, jewels and medicines which will remove that affliction.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
29. Those bewildered by the senses made of prakṛti are attached to the actions of body and senses. One who knows the soul does not disturb those foolish persons who do not know ātmā.
Commentary

This verse concludes the ideas presented in verse 26. Those who are bewildered by false ego (guṇa saṁmūḍhāḥ), which is a product of prakṛti, those who think the body to be the self, in the manner of a person possessed by a ghost, become attached to the actions of the body and senses (guṇa karmaṣu). One who has full knowledge of ātmā (kṛtsna vit) does not disturb those of little intelligence (akṛtsna vidaḥ), who are lazy in understanding ātmā (mandān). He should not desire to make such persons understand the truth by saying “You are not actions of the body and senses. You are the bliss of pure consciousness.” Rather, following their taste for action, through engaging them in a succession of Vedic duties, he should desire to arouse their interest in the ātmā.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

And why shouldn't the wise unsettle them? Because people have to be engaged otherwise they get into more trouble when they are not engaged. They should engage in their duties and they should be encouraged to work in devotion and offer the fruits of their work in devotional service. What happens who don't have knowledge and aren't engaged in activities? The result is "varna‑sankara", unwanted progeny. Next text brings this niskama karma up to the platform of bhakti.

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
3.29 Those again, guna-sammudhah, who are wholly deluded by the gunas; prakrteh, of Nature; sajjante, become attached; guna karmasu, to the activities of the gunas, thining, 'We do actions for results.' Krtsna-vit, the knower of the All, one who is himself a knower of the Self; na vicalayet, should not disturb; tan, those who are attached to actions; (who are) mandan, of dull intellect; akrtsnavidah, who do not know the All, who are all attention on the results of actions. Unsetting of beliefs is itself the disturbance. That he should not do. This is the idea. Again, in what manner should duties be under-taken by a seeker after Liberation who is not enlightened, who is alified for actions (rites and duties)? As to this, the answer is being stated:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
3.29 Those who 'do not know the whole truth' are those persons who are trying for the vision of the self but are deluded about the nature of the self, not knowing, on account of their involvement in Prakrti, that actions proceed from the Gunas of Prakrti. They are therefore attached to the actions of the Gunas - i.e., only to actions forming part of Karma Yoga. They are alified only for Karma Yoga. One who knows the complete truth should not, by himself remaining a practitioner of Jnana Yoga, unsettle those persons who are ignorant and who do not know the complete truth. Those, the ignorant, who tend to follow the behaviour of a great man, when they see him transcend Karma Yoga, will have their minds shaken from Karma Yoga. Thus, the great man, should himself remain established in Karma Yoga, while having the full knowledge of the true nature of the self and contemplating on the self as not being the agent. Thus he should demonstrate that Karma Yoga by itself is an autonomous means for the vision of the self. He should create in those who do not know the complete truth the love of Karma Yoga. The superiority of this Karma Yoga over Jnana Yoga even for those who are alified for Jnana Yoga has already been stated. Therefore one who is a respected person of note should follow this Karma Yoga alone for the good of the world. The method of performing actions after attributing agency to the Gunas by discerning the nature of the self as different from Prakrti, has been taught. The agency of the self is not produced by the inherent nature of the self, but by its contact with the Gunas. Hence by discriminating between what is obtained by contact and not obtained when there is no contact, it has to be understood that this agency is due to the Gunas or Prakrti. Now it is said that the agency of works, first attributed to Gunas, ultimately go to the Supreme Person who is the Self of all. It is done by discerning that the nature of the individual self is one of subservience to the Supreme Person, as they constitute His body:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
3.29 Prakrteh etc. The deluded persons, under the influence of the Strands, Sattva etc., are attached to the actions performed by the Sattva etc., which are the Strands belonging to the Prakrti. In the same context (III, 26) it has been said : 'Therefore being a master of Yoga, let [the wise] fulfil actions'. How to do that ? [The Lord] clarifies :
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
3.29 Those deluded by the alities of Nature are attached to the functions of the alities. The man of perfect knowledge should not unsettle the foolish one who is of imperfect knowledge.
Commentary

3.29 प्रकृतेः of nature? गुणसंमूढाः persons deluded by the Gunas? सज्जन्ते are attached? गुणकर्मसु in the functions of the alities? तान् those? अकृत्स्नविदः of imperfect knowledge? मन्दान् the foolish (thedullwitted)? कृत्स्नवित् man of perfect knowledge? न not? विचालयेत् should unsettle.Commentary The ignorant people do action with the expectation of fruits. The wise people who have the knowledge of the Self should not distract the faith or conviction or belief of such ignorant persons. If they unsettle their minds they will give up actions and become victims of inertia. They will lead an idle life. They should be encouraged by the wise to do actions of the Sakama type (actions for the sake of their fruits) in the beginning. The wise ones should turn the minds of the ignorant by giving them gradual instructions on Karma Yoga (Yoga of selfless? desireless action) and its benefits? viz.? purification of the heart that leads to the attainment of Selfrealisation.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
3.29 Those who are wholly deluded by the gunas of Nature become attached to the activities of the gunas. The knower of the All should not disturb those of dull intellect, who do not know the All.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
3.29 Those who do not understand the Qualities are interested in the act. Still, the wise man who knows the truth should not disturb the mind of him who does not.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)
Related verses
BG 3.26 BG 18.67 BG 15.10 SB 11.21.2 SB 10.87.1 SB 11.2.37 CC Madhya 22.69 CC Madhya 25.119 CC Madhya 8.58 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.10Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Those bewildered by the modes are attached to the modes' action; the wise should not unsettle them but help them rise gradually.
Practical Applications
  • Be patient with those still operating from their conditioning.
  • Resist the urge to short-circuit someone else's process with abrupt teaching.
  • Maintain compassionate companionship without compromising your own clarity.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose process am I trying to rush from impatience?
  • How can I be patient without being permissive?
Analogy

A child playing with sticks pretends one is a sword. The adult does not snatch it away and lecture — he lets the play complete itself in its season. The wise carry exactly this restraint toward those still playing fruit-games.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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