Bhagavad Gita BG 16.18
Chapter 16, Verse 18 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः । मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः ॥
ahankaram balam darpam kamam krodam ca samshritah mam atma-para-deheshu pradvisanto 'bhyasuyakah
Meaning
Clinging to ego, force, pride, desire, and anger — envious of others, they hate Me who dwells in their own bodies and in the bodies of others.
Understanding
The deepest expression of demonic orientation: ahankaram balam darpam kamam krodam ca samshritah (clinging to ego/ahankara, force/bala, arrogance/darpa, desire/kama, and anger/krodha — five modes of ego-force). Abhyasuyakah (envious, fault-finding — asuyaka = one who resents others' merit). Mam atma-para-deheshu pradvisantah (they hate Me — the Divine — dwelling in their own bodies AND in the bodies of others). This is the culminating spiritual definition of the demonic: hatred of the Divine within oneself and within all others. Hatred of others is ultimately hatred of the Divine who dwells in all beings (cf. Ch6.29-32 — the yogi sees the Self in all). The demonic orientation is structurally opposed to this recognition.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अहङ्कारम् | ahankaram | ego, the I-maker, the false self (aham = I + kara = maker) |
| बलम् | balam | force, strength, power (used as a means of control) |
| संश्रिताः | samshritah | clinging to, taking shelter in, depending on |
| प्रद्विषन्तः | pradvisantah | hating, intensely resenting (pra + dvisha = intense hatred) |
| अभ्यसूयकाः | abhyasuyakah | envious, resentful of others' merit, fault-finding |
| अहंकारम् | ahaṅkāram | pride |
| दर्पम् | darpam | arrogance |
| कामम् | kāmam | lust |
| क्रोधम् | krodham ca | and anger |
| संश्रिताः | saṃśritāḥ | taking shelter of |
| माम् | mām | Me |
| आत्म-पर-देहेषु | ātma-para-deheṣu | in their own and others' bodies |
| प्रद्विषन्तः | pradviṣantaḥ | hating, despising |
| अभ्यसूयकाः | abhyasūyakāḥ | envious |
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