Chapter III · Śloka 33
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि ।
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति ॥
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति ॥
sadṛśaṃ ceṣṭate svasyāḥ prakṛter jñānavān api |
prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati ||
prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati ||
Even a person of knowledge acts in accordance with his own nature; all beings follow their nature — what will restraint accomplish?
Even the wise cannot fully escape their own deep-seated nature, since all beings are moved by the guṇas they have inherited. This does not excuse negligence, but it does counsel humility: transformation is gradual, and forceful suppression without understanding achieves little.