Chapter 16, Verse 12 (Bhagavad Gita 16.12)
Chapter 16: Daivāsura Sampad Vibhāg Yog – Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures
Sanskrit Shloka
आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः।ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान्
Transliteration
āśhā-pāśha-śhatair baddhāḥ kāma-krodha-parāyaṇāḥ īhante kāma-bhogārtham anyāyenārtha-sañchayān
Word Meanings
āśhā-pāśha—bondage of desires; śhataiḥ—by hundreds; baddhāḥ—bound; kāma—lust; krodha—anger; parāyaṇāḥ—dedicated to; īhante—strive; kāma—lust; bhoga—gratification of the senses; artham—for; anyāyena—by unjust means; artha—wealth; sañchayān—to accumulate
Translation
Bound by a hundred ties of hope, given over to lust and anger, they strive to obtain hoards of wealth by unlawful means for the sake of sensual enjoyment.
Meaning & Commentary
In this verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna exposes the deluded consciousness of those trapped in the cycle of materialistic existence. By describing the 'hundred ties of hope,' Lord Krishna reveals how unfulfilled desires act as shackles that bind the soul to samsara. He warns Arjuna that when the heart is surrendered to kama (lust) and krodha (anger), the intellect becomes clouded, leading one toward adharmic actions. Shri Krishna’s divine revelation serves as a wake-up call to all seekers, urging them to break free from these fleeting worldly attachments. Ultimately, the Supreme Lord invites us to renounce the frantic pursuit of transient wealth and instead find our true fulfillment in His eternal, transcendental grace.