Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 16 · Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 16.9 एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः
श्लोक 16.9
एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः ।
प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः ॥
etāṃ dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmāno'lpabuddhayaḥ |
prabhavantyugrakarmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagato'hitāḥ ||
हिन्दी अर्थ
इसी दृष्टि को पकड़कर, जिनकी आत्मा भ्रष्ट हो चुकी है और बुद्धि तुच्छ है, ऐसे क्रूर कर्म करने वाले लोग संसार के शत्रु बनकर उसके विनाश के लिए उत्पन्न होते हैं।
Meaning in English
Holding to this view, these lost souls of small understanding and cruel deeds rise up as enemies of the world, bringing about its destruction.
Bhagavad Gita 16.9 — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| एताम् | etām | this |
| दृष्टिम् | dṛṣṭim | view |
| अवष्टभ्य | avaṣṭabhya | holding on to |
| नष्टात्मानः | naṣṭa-ātmānaḥ | lost souls, ruined in themselves |
| अल्पबुद्धयः | alpa-buddhayaḥ | of small understanding |
| प्रभवन्ति | prabhavanti | rise up |
| उग्रकर्माणः | ugra-karmāṇaḥ | doers of cruel deeds |
| क्षयाय | kṣayāya | for the destruction |
| जगतः | jagataḥ | of the world |
| अहिताः | ahitāḥ | enemies, harmful |
Explanation
Holding on to this view, these ruined souls of small understanding rise up as doers of cruel deeds, enemies of the world, bent on its destruction. Once a person adopts the outlook of the previous verse, Krishna says, the result spreads outward: narrow thinking turns into harmful action that damages society and nature.
Shankara explains naṣṭātmānaḥ as those who have lost sight of the means to the higher world, and alpa-buddhayaḥ as those whose intellect reaches only to visible objects. The verse shows the Gita's logic that wrong view leads to wrong action. Many modern readers have applied it to individuals and powers who exploit the world for gain with no sense of limit, seeing in it a warning about the social cost of a purely appetite-driven philosophy.
भावार्थ
इस दृष्टि को पकड़े हुए, नष्ट बुद्धि वाले और अल्प समझ वाले ये लोग क्रूर कर्म करते हैं। वे संसार के शत्रु बनकर उसके विनाश के लिए ही उत्पन्न होते हैं।
Living it today
Ask what your choices cost the people and world around you, not only what they bring you. Small understanding sees only the gain.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 16.9?
Holding on to this view, these ruined souls of small understanding rise up as doers of cruel deeds, enemies of the world, bent on its destruction. Once a person adopts the outlook of the previous verse, Krishna says, the result spreads outward: narrow thinking turns into harmful action that damages society and nature.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 16.9?
Sri Krishna speaks this verse, in Chapter 16 (Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 16.9 in daily life?
Ask what your choices cost the people and world around you, not only what they bring you. Small understanding sees only the gain.
Reflected on verse 16.9?
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