Chapter 16 · Verse 9

Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures

एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः।प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः

etāṁ dṛiṣhṭim avaṣhṭabhya naṣhṭātmāno ’lpa-buddhayaḥ prabhavanty ugra-karmāṇaḥ kṣhayāya jagato ’hitāḥ

Word Meanings

etām dṛiṣhṭim avaṣhṭabhya naṣhṭa ātmānaḥ alpa-buddhayaḥ prabhavanti ugra karmāṇaḥ kṣhayāya jagataḥ ahitāḥ

Translation

Clinging to such views, these lost souls of meager intellect, given to cruel deeds, arise as enemies of the world, bent upon its destruction.

Commentary

एताम् this? दृष्टिम् view? अवष्टभ्य holding? नष्टात्मानः ruined souls? अल्पबुद्धयः of small intellect? प्रभवन्ति come forth? उग्रकर्माणः of fierce deeds? क्षयाय for the destruction? जगतः of the world? अहिताः enemies.Commentary They rob others. They acire wealth by destroying others. They boast of their evil actions.Nashtatmanah Ruined souls They have lost all chances of attaining Selfrealisation or going to the higher world.Alpabuddhayah They have a small intellect as they identify themselves with their little bodies full of impurities? as they have no conception of the Supreme Beign? and as their intellects are concerned with the little sensual pleasures only (eating? drinking? etc.).Ugrakarmanah Of fierce deeds They always injure others. They murder for aciring wealth. They do any heinous crime to get money and women. They bring great confusion and destroy the peace and harmony of the world.Enemies of the world World here means people who live in the world.