Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 Verse 9 Meaning
Holding this view, these ruined souls of small intellect and fierce deeds come forth as enemies of the world, intent on its destruction.
BG 16.9
एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः।प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः
etāṁ dṛiṣhṭim avaṣhṭabhya naṣhṭātmāno ’lpa-buddhayaḥ prabhavanty ugra-karmāṇaḥ kṣhayāya jagato ’hitāḥ
Meaning
Holding this view, these ruined souls of small intellect and fierce deeds come forth as enemies of the world, intent on its destruction.
Available in 27 languages
What Does Bhagavad Gita 16.9 Mean?
The Gita addresses virtue with characteristic directness here. Holding this view, these ruined souls of small intellect and fierce deeds come forth as enemies of the world, intent on its destruction. Within the broader arc of Chapter 16, this verse builds on Krishna's systematic exposition of vice. What distinguishes this verse is its integration of virtue with the broader framework of the Gita's philosophy.
Rather than treating spiritual life as separate from worldly engagement, Krishna shows how vice can be realized through every aspect of human experience. What makes this teaching enduringly relevant is its refusal to separate the spiritual from the ordinary. The very situations that challenge us become the ground of practice when approached with the understanding this verse provides.
— Explained by the Nitya Team
What Is the Context of Bhagavad Gita 16.9?
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 16.9 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 16.9?
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 16.9 in daily life?
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?"
Read in Other Languages
Build a daily reading habit with Nitya
Get the Free App