प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु ।तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ॥
prakṛter guṇasammūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇakarmasu |tān akṛtsnavido mandān kṛtsnavin na vicālayet ||
- प्रकृतेः · prakṛteḥ
- of nature
- गुणसम्मूढाः · guṇasammūḍhāḥ
- deluded by the qualities
- सज्जन्ते · sajjante
- they cling
- गुणकर्मसु · guṇakarmasu
- to the actions of the qualities
- तान् · tān
- them
- अकृत्स्नविदः · akṛtsnavidaḥ
- those of partial understanding
- मन्दान् · mandān
- the dull, the slow
- कृत्स्नवित् · kṛtsnavit
- one of complete understanding
- न · na
- not
- विचालयेत् · vicālayet
- should unsettle
“Those deluded by nature's qualities cling to the actions of the qualities. The one of complete understanding should not unsettle those dull ones of partial understanding.”
— Original plain-language translation
Verse 26's rule returns with metaphysical backing: the guṇa-bound cannot yet see through doership, and harsh correction would only topple them. The wise meet partial knowers where they are. Compassion sets the pace of teaching.
— Reader's notes (original)