3.36 What compels a person? Arjuna speaks

अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः
अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः

atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ pāpaṁ charati pūruṣhaḥ
anichchhann api vārṣhṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ

Then what drives a person to do wrong, Krishna, even against their own will, as though compelled by force?

Explanation

Arjuna asks the best question in the chapter.

What drives a person to do wrong even against their own will, as though compelled by force?

It is not a question about doctrine. He is describing an experience everyone has had, and the eight verses that answer it are the Gita's closest approach to psychology.

Word by word

arjunaḥ uvācha: Arjun said
atha: then
kena: by what
prayuktaḥ: impelled
ayam: one
pāpam: sins
charati: commit
pūruṣhaḥ: a person
anichchhan: unwillingly
api: even
vārṣhṇeya: he who belongs to the Vrishni clan, Shree Krishna
balāt: by force
iva: as if
niyojitaḥ: engaged