Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16, Verse 9

Chapter 16 – Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः ।
प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः ॥

Transliteration

etāṃ dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmāno.alpabuddhayaḥ .
prabhavantyugrakarmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagato.ahitāḥ ॥

Meaning

Holding this view, these lost souls of small understanding and cruel deeds rise up as enemies of the world, for its destruction.

Word meanings

एताम् – this
दृष्टिम् – view, outlook
अवष्टभ्य – holding fast to
नष्टात्मानः – lost souls, whose higher nature is ruined
अल्पबुद्धयः – of small understanding
प्रभवन्ति – rise up, come forth
उग्रकर्माणः – of cruel, fierce deeds
क्षयाय – for the destruction
जगतः – of the world
अहिताः – enemies, harmful ones

Anvaya (word order)

एतां दृष्टिम् अवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानः अल्पबुद्धयः उग्रकर्माणः अहिताः (ते) जगतः क्षयाय प्रभवन्ति ।

Explanation

The previous verse presented the demonic philosophy; now Krishna shows its consequences. Etam drishtim avashtabhya: 'holding fast to this view'. The word avashtabhya suggests that they do not merely entertain this view but make it the foundation of their lives and cling to it stubbornly.

Krishna describes such people with four epithets. Nashtatmanah: 'whose self is ruined'. The Self is indestructible, so this means their higher nature, the voice of conscience and every means of spiritual welfare, has been destroyed. Alpa-buddhayah: 'of small understanding'. Their intellect is narrow, limited to immediate and material gain, unable to see long-term consequences.

Ugra-karmanah: 'of cruel deeds'. When there is no moral restraint, why hesitate to harm others? Ahitah: they become enemies of the world, and jagatah kshayaya prabhavanti, they rise up for its destruction.

History bears witness to this verse. Whenever a person or group has concluded that there is no moral law and that only power and pleasure are real, war, oppression, exploitation and the ruin of nature have followed. Individual beliefs ultimately shape the destiny of whole societies.

Context

The previous verse described the demonic outlook; this verse describes the destructive actions that follow from it. The next verse describes their desires and resolves.

Life lesson

A narrow outlook based only on pleasure ultimately harms others and the world. True wisdom is to weigh long-term consequences and the welfare of all in our decisions.

Key terms

Nashtatma: One whose higher nature and conscience are ruined
Alpa-buddhi: Small understanding that sees only immediate gain
Ugra-karma: One who commits cruel and violent deeds