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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
16.1016.12

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 16.11

Demoniac qualities and their consequences

Prakṛti · Material nature

चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिता: ।

कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्चिता: ॥ ११ ॥

आशापाशशतैर्बद्धा: कामक्रोधपरायणा: ।

ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान् ॥ १२ ॥

cintām aparimeyāṁ ca

pralayāntām upāśritāḥ

kāmopabhoga-paramā

etāvad iti niścitāḥ

āśā-pāśa-śatair baddhāḥ

kāma-krodha-parāyaṇāḥ

īhante kāma-bhogārtham

anyāyenārtha-sañcayān

Translation

They believe that to gratify the senses is the prime necessity of human civilization. Thus until the end of life their anxiety is immeasurable. Bound by a network of hundreds of thousands of desires and absorbed in lust and anger, they secure money by illegal means for sense gratification.

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

Sense Enjoyment and Endless Anxiety

  1. 1

    Those who make sense enjoyment life's main goal face endless anxiety and gain money illegally to satisfy their desires.

  2. 2

    Prabhupāda explains that they lack faith in God and do not know that the Supersoul in their heart witnesses their actions.

  3. 3

    Do not make sense enjoyment your life's goal; remember that the Supersoul observes your actions.

Key points from the purport

These notes cover verses 16.11–12

Demoniac attitude and engagements are further described

Attitude – Sense gratification is the “prime necessity of human civilization”

Immeasurable anxieties

Network of thousands of desires and absorbed in lust and anger

Engagements – Secure money by illegal means for sense-gratification

a

The goal of life is sense gratification

Do not believe in life after death and signs of karma

Plans of life are never finished e.g. a dying man requesting the physician to prolong his life for 4 years

Performs all kinds of sinful activities unaware of the Supersoul sitting as the witness

b

Secure money by illegal means for sense-gratification

Feels free to do anything because of ignorance and faithlessness in Vedic scriptures

Unaware of the Supersoul as the witness

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. cintāmfears and anxieties
  2. aparimeyāmimmeasurable
  3. caand
  4. pralaya-antāmunto the point of death
  5. upāśritāḥhaving taken shelter of
  6. kāma-upabhogasense gratification
  7. paramāḥthe highest goal of life
  8. etāvatthus
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 16.11 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

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 16 ›
6

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
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  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 4 of 9 · 10 minChapters & storiesGo chapter by chapter, with the Mahābhārata stories that explain what is happening.Back · LearnPrabhupāda's Introduction