Chapter 16, Verse 16 (Bhagavad Gita 16.16)
Chapter 16: Daivāsura Sampad Vibhāg Yog – Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures
Sanskrit Shloka
अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः।प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ
Transliteration
aneka-citta-vibhrāntā moha-jāla-samāvṛtāḥ prasaktāḥ kāma-bhogeṣu patanti narake 'śucau
Word Meanings
aneka—numerous; citta-vibhrāntāḥ—perplexed by anxieties; moha—of illusions; jāla—by a network; samāvṛtāḥ—surrounded; prasaktāḥ—attached; kāma—lust; bhogeṣu—sense gratification; patanti—glides down; narake—into hell; aśucau—unclean.
Translation
Bewildered by many fancies, entangled in the snare of delusion, addicted to the gratification of lust, they fall into a foul hell.
Meaning & Commentary
In this verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna reveals the tragic psychological state of those who reject divine order in favor of materialistic indulgence. By surrendering to the endless flickerings of the mind and the illusions of the ego, these souls trap themselves in a cycle of desire that inevitably leads to suffering. Shri Krishna, as the Supreme Lord, warns that such worldly attachments act as a heavy shackle, obstructing the soul's journey toward the eternal realm. True liberation begins when the devotee renounces these base cravings and turns their consciousness toward the lotus feet of the Supreme. This is a compassionate call from Shri Krishna to awaken from the slumber of ignorance and choose the path of light and dharma.