Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16, Verse 8

Chapter 16 – Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम् ।
अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम् ॥

Transliteration

asatyamapratiṣṭhaṃ te jagadāhuranīśvaram .
aparasparasambhūtaṃ kimanyatkāmahaitukam ॥

Meaning

They say the world is without truth, without foundation and without God, born of mutual union, caused by lust alone; what else could it be?

Word meanings

असत्यम् – without truth, without ultimate reality
अप्रतिष्ठम् – without foundation, without moral basis
ते – they
जगत् – the world
आहुः – say
अनीश्वरम् – without God, without a ruler
अपरस्परसम्भूतम् – born of mutual union
किम् अन्यत् – what else
कामहैतुकम् – caused by lust (desire) alone

Anvaya (word order)

ते (आसुराः) जगत् असत्यम् अप्रतिष्ठम् अनीश्वरम् अपरस्परसम्भूतं, कामहैतुकं (च), किम् अन्यत् (इति) आहुः ।

Explanation

The previous verse described the conduct of the demonic; this verse reveals its root, their philosophy of life. Behaviour grows out of belief. How, then, does the demonic person see the world?

First, asatyam: there is no ultimate truth behind the world; scripture and dharma are mere inventions. Second, apratishtham: the world has no moral foundation, no lasting law of merit and sin on which it rests. Third, anishvaram: there is no God who governs the world or dispenses the fruits of action.

Fourth, aparaspara-sambhutam: the world arose simply from the union of male and female, or from chance physical combinations. Fifth, kama-haitukam: desire for enjoyment is its only cause. Kim anyat, 'what else?', spoken almost mockingly, shows that they dismiss the very possibility of any deeper cause.

The consequence follows naturally. If there is no ultimate truth, no moral foundation and no God, and life is merely the product of desire, then the purpose of life too shrinks to enjoyment alone. Virtue, sacrifice and service begin to seem pointless. The Gita is not condemning honest questioning here; it points to a hedonistic outlook that hollows out the moral ground of human life.

Context

The previous verse described the demonic lack of discernment and good conduct; here their outlook on life is set out. The next verse shows how, holding this view, they act in the world.

Life lesson

Our beliefs are the foundation of our actions. If life is held to have no higher truth or moral ground, it becomes a mere race for pleasure; so shape your outlook on life thoughtfully.

Key terms

Apratishtha: Without foundation, without moral basis
Anishvara: Without God, without a governing Lord
Kama-haituka: Having desire as its only cause