Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan

Bg 18.60

svabhāva-jena kaunteya
nibaddhaḥ svena karmaṇā
kartuṁ necchasi yan mohāt
kariṣyasy avaśo ’pi tat

Synonyms: 

svabhāva–jena — born of your own nature; kaunteya — O son of Kuntī; nibaddhaḥ — conditioned; svena — by your own; karmaṇā — activities; kartum — to do; na — not; icchasi — you like; yat — that which; mohāt — by illusion; kariṣyasi — you will do; avaśaḥ — involuntarily; api — even; tat — that.

Translation: 

Under illusion you are now declining to act according to My direction. But, compelled by the work born of your own nature, you will act all the same, O son of Kuntī.

svabhāva-jena kaunteya, so born of your svabhava, your own nature

nibaddhaḥ, conditioned or bound 

svena karmaṇā, according to our svabhava, we are inclined, almost bound to do certain kind of work.

kartuṁ necchasi yan mohāt, na + ecchasi, not wanting to do, If you will desire that I will not do it, my svabhava nirikta karma, the karma according to my svabhava, then what will happen?

kariṣyasy avaśo ’pi tat, then helplessly you will force to act according to your svabhava later on.

So here we have to be very careful Krishna is talking about svabhava He is not talking about Vasana, vasana has to be regulated. 3.36 to 43 the whole section is talking about conquering lust. So this svabhava doesn’t include desire which are because of lust, anger, pride, greed and illusion.

So refers to Vriti and not to Vasana as per our Varan nature, and acting to our nature is indispensable we have to act according to this nature.

Srila Prabhupada Purport:  Everyone is under the spell of a particular combination of the modes of nature and is acting in that way. But anyone who voluntarily engages himself under the direction of the Supreme Lord becomes glorious.

End of transcription.