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Chapter 16 · The Divine and Demoniac Natures · 24 verses

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Remember who is speaking. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Take the verse as He directs.
  2. 2Say the verse and its words. Read the Sanskrit, then each word with its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation as it is. Let the translation say what it says, without adding your own meaning.
  4. 4Read the purport. Hear the verse through the disciplic succession.
  5. 5Bring your own question. Ask: where does this verse meet my life, my trouble, my doubt?
  6. 6Act on it, remembering Kṛṣṇa. Carry one instruction into your work today.
Read the full guide: how to read the Bhagavad-gītā ›
Character & ethicsChapter 16 · The Divine and Demoniac Natures
16.916.11

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 16.10

Demoniac qualities and their consequences

Prakṛti · Material nature

काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विता: ।

मोहाद्‍गृहीत्वासद्‍ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽश‍ुचिव्रता: ॥ १० ॥

kāmam āśritya duṣpūraṁ

dambha-māna-madānvitāḥ

mohād gṛhītvāsad-grāhān

pravartante ’śuci-vratāḥ

Translation

Taking shelter of insatiable lust and absorbed in the conceit of pride and false prestige, the demoniac, thus illusioned, are always sworn to unclean work, attracted by the impermanent.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

3 study points

Trapped by Endless Desire

  1. 1

    The demoniac take shelter of endless lust, pride, and false prestige, committing themselves to unclean work and temporary things.

  2. 2

    Prabhupāda explains that their desires keep growing. Though temporary pleasures bring anxiety, illusion makes them think they are advancing.

  3. 3

    Be careful not to mistake growing desires, wealth, or worldly honor for real advancement.

Key points from the purport

Demoniac mentality is explained here

They take shelter of insatiable lust

They are absorbed in the conceit of pride and false prestige

Always sworn to unclean work and attracted by impermanent

a

Insatiable lust — They go on increasing their insatiable desires for material enjoyment

b

Illusioned

They have no knowledge and cannot tell that they are heading the wrong way

They are always full of anxieties because of accepting non-permanent things

c

Attracted by impermanent

Create own God, own hymns

Engage in ‘Asuchi-vratah’ : Unclean vows, primarily two things sex enjoyment and accumulation of material wealth

‘Asuchi’ (Unclean habits) – Engaged in wine, women, gambling and meat-eating

d

Absorbed in conceit of pride and false prestige — This is practically seen as follows:

They create some principles of religion which are not approved by Vedic injunctions

By artificial means the world creates a false honor for them

Although gliding towards hell, they considered themselves very advanced

Further reading

The Demoniac Nature

Krishna wants to assure Arjuna that he possesses divine and not demoniac qualities

Describes the activities, mentality and qualities of those with demoniac tendencies

Krishna repeatedly casts these mischievous demons into demoniac, abominable species

Chapter 16, section II: The Demoniac Nature
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. kāmamlust
  2. āśrityataking shelter of
  3. duṣpūraminsatiable
  4. dambhaof pride
  5. mānaand false prestige
  6. mada-anvitāḥabsorbed in the conceit
  7. mohātby illusion
  8. gṛhītvātaking
3

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: daivī-sampat, dharma.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 16.10 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to character & ethics?

Practice

Choose one virtue to practice consciously today.

5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 16.6Demoniac qualities and their consequencesBG 16.7Demoniac qualities and their consequencesBG 12.13Qualities of a devotee dear to Krishna
Live this todayCultivating the Divine QualitiesA practice from BG 16.1-3, close to this verse

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
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