श्री भगवानुवाच
अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिः ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः।
दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम्।।16.1।।

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
abhayaṁ sattva-sanśhuddhir jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ
dānaṁ damaśh cha yajñaśh cha svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam

Word-for-Word Translation

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Divine Personality said; abhayam—fearlessness; sattva-sanśhuddhiḥ—purity of mind; jñāna—knowledge; yoga—spiritual; vyavasthitiḥ—steadfastness; dānam—charity; damaḥ—control of the senses; cha—and; yajñaḥ—performance of sacrifice; cha—and; svādhyāyaḥ—study of sacred books; tapaḥ—austerity; ārjavam—straightforwardness

Meaning

The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and yoga, almsgiving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity, and straightforwardness.

Explanation

Krishna opens this closing section of teachings by listing the qualities that mark a soul inclined toward the divine, moving from inner disposition (fearlessness, purity of mind) to outward practice (charity, austerity, self-study). Notice that fearlessness heads the list — it is the fruit of trusting Krishna rather than the world, and everything else grows from that foundation. For a practitioner, this verse is less a checklist to complete than a description of what naturally unfolds as one's faith deepens.

अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम्।
दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम्।।16.2।।

ahinsā satyam akrodhas tyāgaḥ śhāntir apaiśhunam
dayā bhūteṣhv aloluptvaṁ mārdavaṁ hrīr achāpalam

Word-for-Word Translation

ahinsā—non-violence; satyam—truthfulness; akrodhaḥ—absence of anger; tyāgaḥ—renunciation; śhāntiḥ—peacefulness; apaiśhunam—restraint from fault-finding; dayā—compassion; bhūteṣhu—toward all living beings; aloluptvam—absence of covetousness; mārdavam—gentleness; hrīḥ—modesty; achāpalam—lack of fickleness

Meaning

Harmlessness, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion for beings, non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, and absence of fickleness.

Explanation

The list continues with qualities oriented toward how one treats others — non-violence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, and compassion for all beings. These are not abstract virtues but the visible signs of a heart being purified through devotional practice; a person absorbed in remembering Krishna finds harshness and envy naturally loosening their grip. Gentleness and modesty here are strengths, not weaknesses — the quiet confidence of one who has nothing to prove.

तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता।
भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत।।16.3।।

tejaḥ kṣhamā dhṛitiḥ śhaucham adroho nāti-mānitā
bhavanti sampadaṁ daivīm abhijātasya bhārata

Word-for-Word Translation

tejaḥ—vigor; kṣhamā—forgiveness; dhṛitiḥ—fortitude; śhaucham—cleanliness; adrohaḥ—bearing enmity toward none; na—not; ati-mānitā—absence of vanity; bhavanti—are; sampadam—qualities; daivīm—godly; abhijātasya—of those endowed with; bhārata—scion of Bharat

Meaning

Vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, absence of pride—these belong to one born for a divine state, O Arjuna.

Explanation

Krishna concludes the divine list with vigor, forgiveness, cleanliness, and freedom from both hatred and vanity, then directly tells Arjuna that these qualities are his birthright. This personal reassurance matters — Arjuna has just spent chapters wrestling with doubt, and Krishna wants him to recognize that his very nature inclines toward the good. It is a reminder that spiritual qualities are not achievements to be proud of but gifts to be gratefully used in service.

दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च।
अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम्।।16.4।।

dambho darpo ’bhimānaśh cha krodhaḥ pāruṣhyam eva cha
ajñānaṁ chābhijātasya pārtha sampadam āsurīm

Word-for-Word Translation

dambhaḥ—hypocrisy; darpaḥ—arrogance; abhimānaḥ—conceit; cha—and; krodhaḥ—anger; pāruṣhyam—harshness; eva—certainly; cha—and; ajñānam—ignorance; cha—and; abhijātasya—of those who possess; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; sampadam—qualities; āsurīm—demoniac

Meaning

Hypocrisy, arrogance, and self-conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance—these belong to one who is born for a demoniacal state, O Partha.

Explanation

Having described the divine nature at length, Krishna now names its opposite in a single terse verse: hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance. The brevity is deliberate — demoniac traits, unlike the rich variety of divine qualities, all reduce to variations on self-centeredness. Recognizing these tendencies honestly in oneself, rather than only in others, is the first step toward outgrowing them.

दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता।
मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव।।16.5।।

daivī sampad vimokṣhāya nibandhāyāsurī matā
mā śhuchaḥ sampadaṁ daivīm abhijāto ’si pāṇḍava

Word-for-Word Translation

daivī—divine; sampat—qualities; vimokṣhāya—toward liberation; nibandhāya—to bondage; āsurī—demoniac qualities; matā—are considered; mā—do not; śhuchaḥ—grieve; sampadam—virtues; daivīm—saintly; abhijātaḥ—born; asi—you are; pāṇḍava—Arjun, the son of Pandu

Meaning

The divine nature is deemed conducive to liberation, and the demonic to bondage. Grieve not, O Arjuna, for you are born with divine endowments.

Explanation

Krishna draws the essential distinction plainly: the divine nature leads toward liberation, the demoniac toward bondage, and then he comforts Arjuna directly — you need not grieve, for you are born with divine qualities. This personal address is significant; the entire discussion of two natures is not abstract philosophy but is meant to settle Arjuna's heart before he acts. Encouragement like this is itself an expression of Krishna's affection for his devotee.

द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च।
दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे श्रृणु।।16.6।।

dvau bhūta-sargau loke ’smin daiva āsura eva cha
daivo vistaraśhaḥ prokta āsuraṁ pārtha me śhṛiṇu

Word-for-Word Translation

dvau—two; bhūta-sargau—of created living beings; loke—in the world; asmin—this; daivaḥ—divine; āsuraḥ—demoniac; eva—certainly; cha—and; daivaḥ—the divine; vistaraśhaḥ—at great length; proktaḥ—said; āsuram—the demoniac; pārtha—Arjun, the son of Pritha; me—from me; śhṛiṇu—hear

Meaning

There are two types of beings in this world: the divine and the demoniacal. The divine has been described at length; hear from Me, O Arjuna, about the demoniacal.

Explanation

Krishna announces the structure of what follows: having described the divine nature, he will now describe the demoniac in detail at Arjuna's request. This verse functions as a hinge in the chapter, and its calm, systematic tone shows that Krishna is not condemning but instructing — understanding the demoniac mentality is necessary so a practitioner can recognize and avoid its patterns in their own mind.

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः।
न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते।।16.7।।

pravṛittiṁ cha nivṛittiṁ cha janā na vidur āsurāḥ
na śhauchaṁ nāpi chāchāro na satyaṁ teṣhu vidyate

Word-for-Word Translation

pravṛittim—proper actions; cha—and; nivṛittim—improper actions; cha—and; janāḥ—persons; na—not; viduḥ—comprehend; āsurāḥ—those possessing demoniac nature; na—neither; śhaucham—purity; na—nor; api—even; cha—and; āchāraḥ—conduct; na—nor; satyam—truthfulness; teṣhu—in them; vidyate—exist

Meaning

The demoniacal do not know what to do and what to refrain from; they have neither purity, nor right conduct, nor truth.

Explanation

Krishna begins his portrait of the demoniac mind by noting its most basic defect: it cannot distinguish right action from wrong action, and lacks purity, proper conduct, or truthfulness. Without some standard beyond one's own impulses, action loses its compass entirely. This sets up the chapter's later conclusion that scripture, not personal whim, must serve as the measure of what to do.

असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम्।
अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम्।।16.8।।

asatyam apratiṣhṭhaṁ te jagad āhur anīśhvaram
aparaspara-sambhūtaṁ kim anyat kāma-haitukam

Word-for-Word Translation

asatyam—without absolute truth; apratiṣhṭham—without any basis; te—they; jagat—the world; āhuḥ—say; anīśhvaram—without a God; aparaspara—without cause; sambhūtam—created; kim—what; anyat—other; kāma-haitukam—for sexual gratification only

Meaning

They say, "This universe is without truth, without a moral basis, without a God, brought about by mutual union, with lust as its cause; what else?"

Explanation

Here Krishna describes the demoniac philosophy at its root: the world is declared unreal, without any basis, and without a controlling God, produced instead by the chance union of male and female and driven by lust alone. This is the atheistic view, shared by many so-called scientific theories in the modern world, that creation has no ultimate cause or purpose beyond material combination — a view Krishna's devotees reject, knowing this world to be the ordered creation of a supreme, conscious controller. Because such people deny any higher basis for existence, every relationship, including that between man and woman, becomes for them merely a means of sense gratification, with nothing sacred or purposeful about it.

एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः।
प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः।।16.9।।

etāṁ dṛiṣhṭim avaṣhṭabhya naṣhṭātmāno ’lpa-buddhayaḥ
prabhavanty ugra-karmāṇaḥ kṣhayāya jagato ’hitāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

etām—such; dṛiṣhṭim—views; avaṣhṭabhya—holding; naṣhṭa—misdirected; ātmānaḥ—souls; alpa-buddhayaḥ—of small intellect; prabhavanti—arise; ugra—cruel; karmāṇaḥ—actions; kṣhayāya—destruction; jagataḥ—of the world; ahitāḥ—enemies

Meaning

Holding this view, these ruined souls of small intellect and fierce deeds come forth as enemies of the world, intent on its destruction.

Explanation

Those who hold the view of verse 8 do not remain neutral — Krishna says they become active agents of harm, driven by fierce ambition to work against the welfare of the world. The verse shows how a wrong philosophy is never merely theoretical; it shapes behavior, often destructively, once it takes hold of one's intelligence. This is why right understanding matters so much on the spiritual path.

काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः।
मोहाद्गृहीत्वासद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः।।16.10।।

kāmam āśhritya duṣhpūraṁ dambha-māna-madānvitāḥ
mohād gṛihītvāsad-grāhān pravartante ’śhuchi-vratāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

kāmam—lust; āśhritya—harboring; duṣhpūram—insatiable; dambha—hypocrisy; māna—arrogance; mada-anvitāḥ—clinging to false tenets; mohāt—the illusioned; gṛihītvā—being attracted to; asat—impermanent; grāhān—things; pravartante—they flourish; aśhuchi-vratāḥ—with impure resolve

Meaning

Filled with insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, holding evil ideas due to delusion, they work with impure intentions.

Explanation

Krishna now traces how unchecked desire behaves in practice: it is insatiable by nature, dressed up in hypocrisy and pride, and it seizes upon wrong ideas out of delusion. The word insatiable is key — material desire, unlike devotion, can never be satisfied by its own fulfillment, since each gratified want simply gives rise to another. Recognizing this pattern in oneself is often the beginning of turning toward a more lasting source of contentment.

चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः।
कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्चिताः।।16.11।।

chintām aparimeyāṁ cha pralayāntām upāśhritāḥ
kāmopabhoga-paramā etāvad iti niśhchitāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

chintām—anxieties; aparimeyām—endless; cha—and; pralaya-antām—until death; upāśhritāḥ—taking refuge; kāma-upabhoga—gratification of desires; paramāḥ—the purpose of life; etāvat—still; iti—thus; niśhchitāḥ—with complete assurance

Meaning

Giving themselves over to immeasurable cares that end only with death, regarding the gratification of lust as their highest aim, and feeling sure that that is all.

Explanation

This verse paints the demoniac mind trapped in endless anxious planning that ceases only at death, with sense gratification held up as life's supreme goal. The tragedy Krishna points to is one of misplaced conviction — such a person is not confused or hesitant but entirely certain that pleasure is all there is, which closes the door to any deeper inquiry. A life anchored instead in devotion offers a goal that death does not erase.

आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः।
ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान्।।16.12।।

āśhā-pāśha-śhatair baddhāḥ kāma-krodha-parāyaṇāḥ
īhante kāma-bhogārtham anyāyenārtha-sañchayān

Word-for-Word Translation

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

Meaning

Bound by a hundred ties of hope, given over to lust and anger, they strive to obtain hoards of wealth by unlawful means for sensual enjoyment.

Explanation

Krishna describes the demoniac person as bound by hundreds of hopes and driven by lust and anger to accumulate wealth through unjust means. The imagery of being bound is apt — desire that seemed like freedom to pursue whatever one wants actually becomes a set of chains, since the pursuit never lets the mind rest. This is a caution relevant to anyone tempted to justify questionable means by a desired end.

इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम्।
इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम्।।16.13।।

idam adya mayā labdham imaṁ prāpsye manoratham
idam astīdam api me bhaviṣhyati punar dhanam

Word-for-Word Translation

idam—this; adya—today; mayā—by me; labdham—gained; imam—this; prāpsye—I shall acquire; manaḥ-ratham—desire; idam—this; asti—is; idam—this; api—also; me—mine; bhaviṣhyati—in future; punaḥ—again; dhanam—wealth

Meaning

"I have gained this today; I will fulfill this desire of mine; this is mine, and this wealth will be mine in the future."

Explanation

Krishna now voices the internal monologue of such a person — self-congratulation over what has been gained and confident plans for what will be gained next. The verse's plain, almost mundane language makes its point sharply: this is not some exotic evil but the ordinary self-talk of anyone absorbed purely in accumulation, showing how easily this mentality can go unnoticed in daily life.

असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि।
ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी।।16.14।।

asau mayā hataḥ śhatrur haniṣhye chāparān api
īśhvaro ’ham ahaṁ bhogī siddho ’haṁ balavān sukhī

Word-for-Word Translation

asau—that; mayā—by me; hataḥ—has been destroyed; śhatruḥ—enemy; haniṣhye—I shall destroy; cha—and; aparān—others; api—also; īśhvaraḥ—God; aham—I; aham—I; bhogī—the enjoyer; siddhaḥ—powerful; aham—I; bala-vān—powerful; sukhī—happy

Meaning

"I have slain that enemy, and I shall slay others too. I am the Lord; I enjoy, I am perfect, powerful, and happy."

Explanation

The inner monologue grows bolder here, as the person imagines having destroyed enemies and claims for themselves the very language of divinity — 'I am the Lord, I enjoy, I am perfect.' This is the demoniac mentality at its peak: the self-appointed replacement of God with one's own ego. Krishna, by quoting these words directly, lets Arjuna see exactly how far pride can distort a person's sense of their own place in the world.

आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया।
यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः।।16.15।।

āḍhyo ‘bhijanavān asmi ko ‘nyo ‘sti sadṛiśho mayā
yakṣhye dāsyāmi modiṣhye ity ajñāna-vimohitāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

āḍhyaḥ—wealthy; abhijana-vān—having highly placed relatives; asmi—I am; kaḥ—who; anyaḥ—else; asti—is; sadṛiśhaḥ—like; mayā—to me; yakṣhye—I shall perform sacrifices; dāsyāmi—I shall give alms; modiṣhye—I shall rejoice; iti—thus; ajñāna—ignorance; vimohitāḥ—deluded by

Meaning

"I am wealthy and born into a noble family. Who is my equal? I shall perform sacrifices, give charity, and rejoice," thus deluded by ignorance.

Explanation

The self-congratulation continues with boasting about wealth and family status and empty promises of future charity and sacrifice, all while Krishna notes plainly that such a person is deluded by ignorance. What looks like generosity here is really performance for the sake of the ego rather than genuine giving; true charity flows from humility, not from a desire to be seen as unmatched.

अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः।
प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ।।16.16।।

aneka-chitta-vibhrāntā moha-jāla-samāvṛitāḥ
prasaktāḥ kāma-bhogeṣhu patanti narake 'śhuchau

Word-for-Word Translation

aneka—many; chitta-vibhrāntāḥ—perplexed by anxieties; moha-jāla—network of delusions; samāvṛitāḥ—enveloped; prasaktāḥ—addicted; kāma-bhogeṣhu—to the gratification of lust; patanti—fall down; narake—into hell; aśhuchau—unclean

Meaning

Bewildered by many fancies, entangled in the snare of delusion, addicted to the gratification of lust, they fall into a foul hell.

Explanation

Krishna now shows where this trajectory leads: perplexed by countless anxieties and caught in delusion's web, such people, addicted to sense gratification, fall into a degraded condition. The chapter is building a moral arc — pride and unchecked desire do not simply persist unchanged but actively pull a person downward, which is why the divine qualities described earlier are worth cultivating with real effort.

आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः।
यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्।।16.17।।

ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhana-māna-madānvitāḥ
yajante nāma-yajñais te dambhenāvidhi-pūrvakam

Word-for-Word Translation

ātma-sambhāvitāḥ—self-conceited; stabdhāḥ—stubborn; dhana—wealth; māna—pride; mada—arrogance; anvitāḥ—full of; yajante—perform sacrifice; nāma—in name only; yajñaiḥ—sacrifices; te—they; dambhena—ostentatiously; avidhi-pūrvakam—with no regards to the rules of the scriptures

Meaning

Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform sacrifices in name only for ostentation, contrary to scriptural ordinances.

Explanation

Krishna adds a subtler warning here: even religious activity can become corrupted by ego, as when self-conceited people perform sacrifices only for show, without regard for proper principles. This is a caution against spiritual pride specifically — going through the motions of devotion while the heart remains focused on being admired defeats the very purpose of the practice.

अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः।
मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः।।16.18।।

ahankāraṁ balaṁ darpaṁ kāmaṁ krodhaṁ cha sanśhritāḥ
mām ātma-para-deheṣhu pradviṣhanto ’bhyasūyakāḥ

Word-for-Word Translation

ahankāram—egotism; balam—strength; darpam—arrogance; kāmam—desire; krodham—anger; cha—and; sanśhritāḥ—covered by; mām—me; ātma-para-deheṣhu—within one’s own and bodies of others; pradviṣhantaḥ—abuse; abhyasūyakāḥ—the demoniac

Meaning

Given over to egoism, power, haughtiness, lust, and anger, these malicious people hate Me in their own bodies and in the bodies of others.

Explanation

Krishna states plainly that those absorbed in egotism, pride, and anger end up envious of him, present as he is within every being's body. This verse reveals the deepest root of the demoniac mentality — not just wrongdoing but a fundamental resistance to acknowledging anything greater than the self, which shows itself as hostility toward the divine spark in others as much as toward Krishna directly.

तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान्।
क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु।।16.19।।

tān ahaṁ dviṣhataḥ krūrān sansāreṣhu narādhamān
kṣhipāmy ajasram aśhubhān āsurīṣhv eva yoniṣhu

Word-for-Word Translation

tān—these; aham—I; dviṣhataḥ—hateful; krūrān—cruel; sansāreṣhu—in the material world; nara-adhamān—the vile and vicious of humankind; kṣhipāmi—I hurl; ajasram—again and again; aśhubhān—inauspicious; āsurīṣhu—demoniac; eva—indeed; yoniṣhu—in to the wombs

Meaning

Those cruel haters, the worst among men in the world, I hurl those evil-doers into the wombs of demons only.

Explanation

Krishna describes the consequence of persistent cruelty and hatred: such souls are repeatedly placed into demoniac wombs. This is not arbitrary punishment but the working of Krishna himself as the Supersoul seated in every heart, who directs each conditioned soul's transmigration according to its own desires — much as a father, when a son proves incorrigible, sends him to be molded among like-minded company, so the envious and hateful are given birth after birth among others of similar nature, sinking them further into forgetfulness of him.

असुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि।
मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम्।।16.20।।

āsurīṁ yonim āpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani
mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yānty adhamāṁ gatim

Word-for-Word Translation

āsurīm—demoniac; yonim—wombs; āpannāḥ—gaining; mūḍhāḥ—the ignorant; janmani janmani—in birth after birth; mām—me; aprāpya—failing to reach; eva—even; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; tataḥ—thereafter; yānti—go; adhamām—abominable; gatim—destination

Meaning

Entering into demoniacal wombs and deluded, birth after birth, they do not attain Me, thus falling, O Arjuna, into a condition still lower than that.

Explanation

Krishna explains that entangled in demoniac births life after life, such souls never come in contact with a bona fide spiritual master or receive the mercy of a pure devotee — the one means by which a conditioned soul can rise up — and so they fail to reach him and sink even lower, down into degraded species such as cats, dogs, and hogs. The verse is sobering, but its purpose within the Gita is ultimately hopeful — by describing the downward spiral so clearly, Krishna is showing Arjuna exactly what to steer away from, which is itself an act of compassion toward anyone willing to listen.

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः।
कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत्।।16.21।।

tri-vidhaṁ narakasyedaṁ dvāraṁ nāśhanam ātmanaḥ
kāmaḥ krodhas tathā lobhas tasmād etat trayaṁ tyajet

Word-for-Word Translation

tri-vidham—three types of; narakasya—to the hell; idam—this; dvāram—gates; nāśhanam—destruction; ātmanaḥ—self; kāmaḥ—lust; krodhaḥ—anger; tathā—and; lobhaḥ—greed; tasmāt—therefore; etat—these; trayam—three; tyajet—should abandon

Meaning

There are three gates to this hell, destructive of the self: lust, anger, and greed; therefore, one should abandon these three.

Explanation

Krishna now offers the practical solution, naming three gateways to self-destruction — lust, anger, and greed — and instructing that they be abandoned. This verse marks a turn in the chapter from diagnosis to remedy; rather than leaving the listener overwhelmed by the demoniac portrait just given, Krishna narrows the real danger down to three specific tendencies that any sincere practitioner can watch for and gradually loosen through devotional practice.

एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः।
आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम्।।16.22।।

etair vimuktaḥ kaunteya tamo-dvārais tribhir naraḥ
ācharaty ātmanaḥ śhreyas tato yāti parāṁ gatim

Word-for-Word Translation

etaiḥ—from this; vimuktaḥ—freed; kaunteya—Arjun, the son of Kunti; tamaḥ-dvāraiḥ—gates to darkness; tribhiḥ—three; naraḥ—a person; ācharati—endeavor; ātmanaḥ—soul; śhreyaḥ—welfare; tataḥ—thereby; yāti—attain; parām—supreme; gatim—goal

Meaning

A person who is liberated from these three gates of darkness, O Arjuna, practices what is beneficial for them and thus goes to the Supreme Goal.

Explanation

Krishna promises that a person freed from these three dark gateways naturally acts for their own true welfare and reaches the supreme goal. The verse's logic is encouraging — freedom from lust, anger, and greed is not itself the destination but the doorway that opens onto a life of genuine spiritual progress, since a mind no longer gripped by these forces can act with clarity and devotion.

यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः।
न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्।।16.23।।

yaḥ śhāstra-vidhim utsṛijya vartate kāma-kārataḥ
na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim

Word-for-Word Translation

yaḥ—who; śhāstra-vidhim—scriptural injunctions; utsṛijya—discarding; vartate—act; kāma-kārataḥ—under the impulse of desire; na—neither; saḥ—they; siddhim—perfection; avāpnoti—attain; na—nor; sukham—happiness; na—nor; parām—the supreme; gatim—goal

Meaning

He who, having cast aside the ordinances of the scriptures, acts under the impulse of desire, does not attain perfection, nor happiness, nor the Supreme Goal.

Explanation

Krishna states directly that whoever discards the injunctions of scripture and acts according to his own whim attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme goal. Scripture is described as the authority that must guide human action, since a person under the influence of rajas and tamas cannot invent rules for self-improvement by mental speculation or manufactured concoction; only guidelines given in revealed scripture can elevate one, gradually, to the platform of pure goodness and beyond it to devotional service. To disregard this authority and act only under the impulse of kama is precisely the demoniac disposition described throughout this chapter, and it can only lead to further bondage, never to real happiness.

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ।
ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि।।16.24।।

tasmāch chhāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te kāryākārya-vyavasthitau
jñātvā śhāstra-vidhānoktaṁ karma kartum ihārhasi

Word-for-Word Translation

tasmāt—therefore; śhāstram—scriptures; pramāṇam—authority; te—your; kārya—duty; akārya—forbidden action; vyavasthitau—in determining; jñātvā—having understood; śhāstra—scriptures; vidhāna—injunctions; uktam—as revealed; karma—actions; kartum—perform; iha—in this world; arhasi—you should

Meaning

Therefore, let the scripture be thy authority in determining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done. Having known what is said in the ordinance of the scriptures, thou shouldst act in this world.

Explanation

The chapter closes with Krishna's direct conclusion: scripture must be the authority in determining what is duty and what is not, and one should act only after understanding what scripture enjoins. As Krishna has just explained, human society under the modes of passion and ignorance cannot manufacture its own moral code by concocted or sentimental reasoning — the codes of scripture, given by the Lord himself, exist precisely to check the whimsical, desire-driven action that defines the demoniac nature. This is why, throughout the Gita, Krishna repeatedly asks Arjuna to act according to his instruction rather than according to personal sentiment: everything in this chapter — the two natures, their qualities, and their consequences — has been building toward this closing counsel that scriptural injunction, not one's own impulse, must be the measure of right action.