Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16, Verse 15

Chapter 16 – Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया ।
यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः ॥

Transliteration

āḍhyo.abhijanavānasmi ko.anyo.asti sadṛśo mayā .
yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya ityajñānavimohitāḥ ॥

Meaning

'I am wealthy and of noble birth; who else is equal to me? I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give in charity, I shall rejoice.' Thus they are deluded by ignorance.

Word meanings

आढ्यः – wealthy
अभिजनवान् – of noble birth, with a large following
अस्मि – I am
कः – who
अन्यः – else
अस्ति – is
सदृशः – equal
मया – to me
यक्ष्ये – I shall sacrifice
दास्यामि – I shall give
मोदिष्ये – I shall rejoice
इति – thus
अज्ञानविमोहिताः – deluded by ignorance

Anvaya (word order)

(ते चिन्तयन्ति) — आढ्यः अभिजनवान् अस्मि, मया सदृशः अन्यः कः अस्ति? यक्ष्ये, दास्यामि, मोदिष्ये — इति अज्ञानविमोहिताः (ते भवन्ति) ।

Explanation

This is the third and final part of the demonic person's inner monologue. 'I am wealthy and of noble birth': here is pride in money and lineage. Abhijana also suggests a large family and a crowd of followers. 'Who else is equal to me?' This is the peak of comparison and the feeling of superiority.

The subtlest point lies in the next words: yakshye dasyami, 'I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give in charity.' Surprisingly, even the demonic person talks of sacrifice and charity. But the aim is not dharma; it is prestige. 'I shall hold so grand a ceremony that everyone will marvel; I shall give so much that my name will be known.' Even his religion serves his ego. Verse 17 makes this 'sacrifice in name only' explicit.

Modishye, 'I shall rejoice.' The purpose of sacrifice and charity is, in the end, only his own pleasure and fame.

Ity ajnana-vimohitah: Krishna sums up the whole monologue (verses 13 to 15) in a phrase: they are 'deluded by ignorance'. Amid wealth, family, power and showy piety, they forget that all of it is perishable, and that the ego clinging to it is the very root of their sorrow.

Context

The previous two verses gave the demonic person's thoughts about wealth and power; this verse completes the monologue with his pride in family and his showy religion. The next verse describes the result of this delusion: a fall into hell.

Life lesson

Even religious acts and charity, when done for prestige, only feed the ego. Do good quietly, without display and without comparison; that is what makes it truly pure.

Key terms

Adhya: Wealthy
Abhijanavan: Of noble birth, with a large family and following
Ajnana-vimohita: Completely deluded by ignorance