MindKshetraby LogitsLab
← Chapter 16

Bhagavad Gita · 16.20 · Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures·20 of 24

असुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनिमामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम्

āsurīṁ yonim āpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani mām

aprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yānty adhamāṁ gatim

Sanskrit recitation

Choose a guide wiser than impulse · 16.17–16.24 · Teaching

Translation

Entering into demoniacal wombs and deluded, birth after birth, they do not attain Me, thus falling, O Arjuna, into a condition still lower than that.

Meaning

These degraded Asuras are cast into the demoniacal wombs. They are reduced to the very lowest condition or the most appalling state. They are cast into utter darkness. They fall into lower and yet lower wombs in response to their own satanic desires and actions and their extreme Tamasic nature. From the birth of a tiger, they will get the birth of a serpent from a serpents they will get the birth of a wormfrom that they will get the birth of a tree, etc. In Sanskrit the suffix Tara denotes comparative degree and Tama is superlative degree. These people get Nikrishtatama Yonis (the lowest wombs).They do not reach Me as their minds are filled with impurities, as they do not tread the path of righteousness in accordance with the injunctions of the scriptures. The diabolical nature is inimical to spiritual progress. Therefore, you will have to annihilate the evil tendencies by cultivating divine alities and the practice of regular meditation. Then and only then will you attain liberation.

After Swami Sivananda

Choose a guide wiser than impulse· 16.17–16.24

Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.

Word-by-word
eva
even
mām
me
gatim
destination
yonim
wombs
yānti
go
tataḥ
thereafter
adhamām
abominable
aprāpya
failing to reach
kaunteya
Arjun, the son of Kunti
āsurīm
demoniac
āpannāḥ
gaining
mūḍhāḥ
the ignorant
janmani janmani
in birth after birth

Related verses

Your reflection

Sign in to save reflections.

Sign in