Bhagavad Gita BG 16.7
Chapter 16, Verse 7 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः । न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते ॥
pravrttim ca nivrttim ca jana na vidur asurah na shaucam napi cacaro na satyam teshu vidyate
Meaning
The demonic do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done. Neither purity, nor right conduct, nor truth is found in them.
Understanding
The defining cognitive failure of the demonic: pravrttim ca nivrttim ca (what is to be done — pravritti — and what is not to be done — nivritti) — the fundamental ethical discrimination. Vidur (they do not know — this is the root problem: ajnana in action). Pravritti is the path of action/engagement; nivritti is the path of restraint/withdrawal. Not knowing the proper boundary between the two, the demonic act without discrimination. The consequences: na shaucam (no purity — neither inner nor outer); na acaro (no right conduct, no proper behavior); na satyam (no truth). These three — purity, conduct, truth — are the pillars of dharmic life. Their absence in the demonic reveals that the problem is cognitive (not knowing pravritti/nivritti) producing ethical failure (absence of the three pillars).
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| प्रवृत्तिम् | pravrttim | what is to be done, the path of action/engagement |
| निवृत्तिम् | nivrttim | what is not to be done, the path of restraint/withdrawal |
| शौचम् | shaucam | purity (inner and outer — of body, speech, mind) |
| आचारः | acarah | right conduct, proper behavior, dharmic practice |
| सत्यम् | satyam | truth, truthfulness (in speech and being) |
| प्रवृत्तिम् | pravṛttim | activity, what to do |
| च | ca | and |
| निवृत्तिम् | nivṛttim ca | and cessation |
| जनाः | janāḥ | the people |
| न | na vidur | do not know |
| आसुराः | āsurāḥ | the demoniac |
| न | na śaucam | neither cleanliness |
| न | na api ācāraḥ | nor good conduct |
| न | na satyam | nor truth |
| तेषु | teṣu | in them |
| विद्यते | vidyate | is found |
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