Bhagavad Gita · 16.11 · Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures·11 of 24
चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः।कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्िचताः ॥
chintām aparimeyāṁ cha pralayāntām
upāśhritāḥ kāmopabhoga-paramā etāvad iti niśhchitāḥ
Sanskrit recitation
When ego turns cruel · 16.6–16.16 · Teaching
Translation
Giving themselves over to immeasurable cares that end only with death, regarding the gratification of lust as their highest aim, and feeling sure that that is all.
Meaning
They are beset with immense cares, worries and anxieties and their minds are engrossed in aciring and preserving the countless sensual objects. They have got the strong conviction that the sensual enjoyment is the highest end of a man. They are steeped in enjoying the objects of the senses. They firmly believe that that is everything. They believe that sensual enjoyment is the supreme source of happiness and there is no such thing as eternal bliss of the soul or transcendental bliss of the Self. They have no belief in the happiness in another world (or plane) or in the perennial bliss which is independent of sensual objects, which is beyond the reach of the senses. They have a dull and gross intellect, and so they cannot grasp the subtle higher truth. Sensual enjoyment is the greatest object of attainment for them.
After Swami Sivananda
When ego turns cruel· 16.6–16.16→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 16.6There are two types of beings in this world: the divine and the demoniacal. The divine has been described at length; hear from Me, O Arjuna, about the demoniacal.
- 16.7The demoniacal do not know what to do and what to refrain from; they have neither purity, nor right conduct, nor truth.
- 16.8They say, "This universe is without truth, without a moral basis, without a God, brought about by mutual union, with lust as its cause; what else?"
- 16.9Holding this view, these ruined souls of small intellect and fierce deeds come forth as enemies of the world, intent on its destruction.
- 16.10Filled with insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, holding evil ideas due to delusion, they work with impure intentions.
16.11Giving themselves over to immeasurable cares that end only with death, regarding the gratification of lust as their highest aim, and feeling sure that that is all.
- 16.12Bound by a hundred ties of hope, given over to lust and anger, they strive to obtain hoards of wealth by unlawful means for sensual enjoyment.
- 16.13"I have gained this today; I will fulfill this desire of mine; this is mine, and this wealth will be mine in the future."
- 16.14"I have slain that enemy, and I shall slay others too. I am the Lord; I enjoy, I am perfect, powerful, and happy."
- 16.15"I am wealthy and born into a noble family. Who is my equal? I shall perform sacrifices, give charity, and rejoice," thus deluded by ignorance.
- 16.16Bewildered by many fancies, entangled in the snare of delusion, addicted to the gratification of lust, they fall into a foul hell.
Word-by-word→
- cha
- and
- iti
- thus
- etāvat
- still
- chintām
- anxieties
- paramāḥ
- the purpose of life
- aparimeyām
- endless
- kāma-upabhoga
- gratification of desires
- niśhchitāḥ
- with complete assurance
- pralaya-antām
- until death
- upāśhritāḥ
- taking refuge
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