Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 Verse 10 Meaning

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

BG 16.10

काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः।मोहाद्गृहीत्वासद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः

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

Meaning

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

Available in 27 languages

What Does Bhagavad Gita 16.10 Mean?

Filled with insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, holding evil ideas due to delusion, they work with impure intentions. Situated within the chapter on Divine and Demoniac Natures, this verse contributes to the Gita's exploration of self-awareness and its relationship to virtue. The connection between self-awareness and virtue that this verse draws is central to the Gita's vision.

Unlike traditions that separate the spiritual from the practical, Krishna consistently shows that genuine understanding must express itself in how we live, relate, and act. In daily practice, this means bringing conscious awareness to moments where self-awareness is tested — not as an impossible ideal but as a direction of growth. Each small alignment with this teaching strengthens the capacity for the next.

— Explained by the Nitya Team

What Is the Context of Bhagavad Gita 16.10?

The qualities that lead to liberation versus those that lead to bondage.

Key themes in this chapter include Divine qualities, Demoniac qualities, Character.

How Can I Apply Bhagavad Gita 16.10 in Daily Life?

  • When you need steadiness while dealing with divine qualities
  • When practicing demoniac qualities amid uncertainty
  • When applying character to real-life choices

Verse FAQs

What is the main idea of Bhagavad Gita 16.10?
Filled with insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, holding evil ideas due to delusion, they work with impure intentions. Situated within the chapter on Divine and Demoniac Natures, this verse contributes to the Gita's exploration of self-awareness and its relationship to...
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 16.10 in daily life?
Apply this teaching when making choices or doing your duties. Focus on demoniac qualities and keep your mind steady regardless of outcomes.

Related Verses

Read in Other Languages

← Back to Chapter 16: The Yoga of Divine and Demoniac Natures

Build a daily reading habit with Nitya

Get the Free App