sin, even though unwilling and as if constrained by force?'

"The Holy One said,--'It is desire, it is wrath, born of the attribute of
passion; it is all devouring, it is very sinful. Know this to be the foe
in this world.[166] As fire is enveloped by smoke, a mirror by dust, the
foetus by the womb, so is this enveloped by desire. Knowledge, O son of
Kunti, is enveloped by this constant foe of the wise in the form of
desire which is insatiable and like a fire. The senses, the mind and the
understanding are said to be its abode. With these it deludeth the
embodied self, enveloping (his) knowledge. Therefore, restraining (thy)
senses first, O bull of Bharata's race, cast off this wicked thing, for
it destroyeth knowledge derived from instruction and meditation.[167] It
hath been said that the senses are superior (to the body which is inert).
Superior to the senses is the mind. Superior to the mind is the
knowledge. But which is superior to knowledge is He.[168] Thus knowing
that which is superior to knowledge and restraining (thy) self by self,
slay, O mighty-armed one, the enemy in the shape of desire which is
difficult to conquer.'"

SECTION XXVIII
[(Bhagavad Gita Chapter IV)]

"The Holy One said,--'This imperishable (system of) devotion I declared
to Vivaswat; Vivaswat declared it to Manu; and Manu communicated it to
Ikshaku. Descending thus from generation, the Royal sages came to know
it. But, O chastiser of foes, by (lapse of a) long time that devotion
became lost to the world. Even the same (system of) devotion hath today
been declared by me to thee, for thou art my devotee and friend, (and)
this is a great mystery.'

"Arjuna said,--'Thy birth is posterior; Vivaswat's birth is prior. How
shall I understand then that thou hadst first declared (it)?'

"The Holy One said,--'Many births of mine have passed away, O Arjuna, as
also of thine. These all I know, but thou dost not, O chastiser of foes.
Though (I am) unborn and of essence that knoweth no deterioration, though
(I am) the lord of all creatures, still, relying on my own (material)
nature I take birth by my own (powers) of illusion. Whenever, O Bharata,
loss of piety and the rise of impiety occurreth, on those occasions do I
create myself. For the protection of the righteous and for the
destruction of the evil doers, for the sake of establishing Piety, I am
born age after age. He who truly knoweth my divine birth and work to be
such, casting off (his bo