Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 Verse 7 Meaning
The demoniacal do not know what to do and what to refrain from; they have neither purity, nor right conduct, nor truth.
BG 16.7
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः।न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते
pravṛittiṁ cha nivṛittiṁ cha janā na vidur āsurāḥ na śhauchaṁ nāpi chāchāro na satyaṁ teṣhu vidyate
Meaning
The demoniacal do not know what to do and what to refrain from; they have neither purity, nor right conduct, nor truth.
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What Does Bhagavad Gita 16.7 Mean?
The demoniacal do not know what to do and what to refrain from; they have neither purity, nor right conduct, nor truth. 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. Shankaracharya emphasizes that this teaching is not merely contextual but universal. The principle of vice expressed here transcends its battlefield setting and speaks to the fundamental relationship between action, knowledge, and spiritual realization.
Applied to contemporary life, this teaching asks us to examine our relationship with self-awareness. Not through self-judgment, but through honest observation that gradually shifts our center of gravity from reactive habit to conscious choice.
— Explained by the Nitya Team
What Is the Context of Bhagavad Gita 16.7?
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 16.7 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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