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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

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 16.15

Demoniac qualities and their consequences

Prakṛti · Material nature

इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम् ।

इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम्  ॥ १३ ॥

असौ मया हत: शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि  ।

ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी ॥ १४ ॥

आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया ।

यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिता: ॥ १५ ॥

idam adya mayā labdham

imaṁ prāpsye manoratham

idam astīdam api me

bhaviṣyati punar dhanam

asau mayā hataḥ śatrur

haniṣye cāparān api

īśvaro ’ham ahaṁ bhogī

siddho ’haṁ balavān sukhī

āḍhyo ’bhijanavān asmi

ko ’nyo ’sti sadṛśo mayā

yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya

ity ajñāna-vimohitāḥ

Translation

The demoniac person thinks: “So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more. He is my enemy, and I have killed him, and my other enemies will also be killed. I am the lord of everything. I am the enjoyer. I am perfect, powerful and happy. I am the richest man, surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so powerful and happy as I am. I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and thus I shall rejoice.” In this way, such persons are deluded by ignorance.

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

Pride and Ignorance

  1. 1

    The demoniac person boasts of wealth, powerful relatives, and plans for sacrifice and charity.

  2. 2

    Such claims of being supreme, powerful, and happy show delusion caused by ignorance.

  3. 3

    Do not boast about wealth or use sacrifice and charity to feed pride.

Key points from the purport

These notes cover verses 16.13–15

Demoniac mentality is further described

“I am the controller and the enjoyer”

Indicates false ego which connects spirit to matter

I am perfect and powerful

Everything is being done by my potency

Everything will increase

My enemies are defeated and I am happy

Connected verses · 1

Texts 16.15 & 16.16

The demoniac think that all has been accomplished by their endeavor. But Text 16.16 explains their actual achievement

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
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Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. idamthis
  2. adyatoday
  3. mayāby me
  4. labdhamgained
  5. imamthis
  6. prāpsyeI shall gain
  7. manaḥ-rathamaccording to my desires
  8. idamthis
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 16.15 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.

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.