Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 Verse 20 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.
BG 16.20
असुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि।मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम्
āsurīṁ yonim āpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yānty adhamāṁ gatim
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.
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What Does Bhagavad Gita 16.20 Mean?
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. This verse from Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga speaks directly to the theme of vice, offering insight that deepens our understanding of the Gita's teaching. What distinguishes this verse is its integration of vice with the broader framework of the Gita's philosophy.
Rather than treating spiritual life as separate from worldly engagement, Krishna shows how self-awareness can be realized through every aspect of human experience. In daily practice, this means bringing conscious awareness to moments where vice 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 16.20?
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 16.20 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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