Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 Verse 17 Meaning
Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform sacrifices in name only for ostentation, contrary to scriptural ordinances.
BG 16.17
आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः।यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्
ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhana-māna-madānvitāḥ yajante nāma-yajñais te dambhenāvidhi-pūrvakam
Meaning
Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform sacrifices in name only for ostentation, contrary to scriptural ordinances.
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What Does Bhagavad Gita 16.17 Mean?
Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform sacrifices in name only for ostentation, contrary to scriptural ordinances. Situated within the chapter on Divine and Demoniac Natures, this verse contributes to the Gita's exploration of virtue and its relationship to self-awareness. Ramanuja's commentary highlights how this verse reinforces the accessibility of the Gita's path.
The teaching on virtue is presented not as an elite attainment but as a practical orientation available to anyone willing to examine their motivations and actions honestly. For the modern practitioner, this verse suggests a concrete experiment: approach today's responsibilities with the awareness this teaching describes. The Gita's promise is that even imperfect practice in the right direction yields real results.
— Explained by the Nitya Team
What Is the Context of Bhagavad Gita 16.17?
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 16.17 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
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Related Verses
BG 16.1
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.
BG 16.2
Harmlessness, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion for beings, non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, and absence of fickleness.
BG 1.1
Dhritarashtra said, "What did my people and the sons of Pandu do when they had assembled together, eager for battle, on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya?"
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