Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16, Verse 20

Chapter 16 – Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि ।
मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम् ॥

Transliteration

āsurīṃ yonimāpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani .
māmaprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yāntyadhamāṃ gatim ॥

Meaning

Falling into demonic wombs birth after birth, these deluded ones, never reaching Me, O son of Kunti, sink to a state lower still.

Word meanings

आसुरीम् – demonic
योनिम् – womb, birth
आपन्नाः – having entered
मूढाः – the deluded
जन्मनि जन्मनि – birth after birth
माम् – Me
अप्राप्य – without reaching
एव – indeed
कौन्तेय – O son of Kunti
ततः – than that
यान्ति – they go
अधमाम् – lower, lowest
गतिम् – state, destination

Anvaya (word order)

कौन्तेय, आसुरीं योनिम् आपन्नाः मूढाः जन्मनि जन्मनि माम् अप्राप्य एव ततः अधमां गतिं यान्ति ।

Explanation

The previous verse said that those of demonic nature are born again and again in demonic wombs. Here Krishna adds that if they do not change even there, the fall becomes deeper still. Janmani janmani, 'birth after birth': the repetition shows that once a wrong direction is taken, the current of one's nature keeps carrying one that way until one deliberately changes course.

Mudhah, 'the deluded': their discernment is so thoroughly veiled that they are not even aware of their condition. A patient who does not recognise his illness is hard to cure.

Mam aprapyaiva, 'never reaching Me'. These words are poignant. The purpose of human birth was to attain the Lord, and the demonic person throws that opportunity away. Shankara notes that this also means they do not even reach the right path that leads towards the Lord.

Tato yanty adhamam gatim, 'they sink to a state lower still'. Even so, this verse is a warning, not a counsel of despair. Elsewhere (9.30–31) the Gita assures us that even the worst wrongdoer who worships the Lord with undivided devotion soon becomes righteous. That is why, in the very next verse, Krishna gives the means of escaping this downfall.

Context

The previous verse spoke of repeated birth in demonic wombs; this verse warns of a still lower state. In the next verse Krishna names the three root gates of this downfall: desire, anger and greed.

Life lesson

Every step in the wrong direction makes the next one easier, so the sooner we correct our course the better. Yet remember that the door to turning towards God is never closed.

Key terms

Janmani janmani: Birth after birth, repeatedly
Mam aprapya: Without reaching the Lord — losing the opportunity of human birth
Adhama gati: A still lower, degraded state