Bhagavad Gita 16.13

Verse 13

इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम् | इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम् || १३ ||

Transliteration

idam adya mayā labdham imaṁ prāpsye manoratham idam astīdam api me bhaviṣyati punar dhanam

Synonyms

idam—this; adya—today; mayā—by me; labdham—gained; imam—this; prāpsye—I shall gain; manoratham—wish; idam—this; asti—is; idam—this; api—also; me—mine; bhaviṣyati—will increase; punaḥ—again; dhanam—wealth.

Translation

They think: 'Today I have gained this; I shall fulfill this desire; this is mine, and that wealth too shall be mine in the future.'

Multi-Tradition Commentary

Swami Sivananda

The Lord gives us a direct window into the thought-stream of the demoniac mind: a continuous monologue of acquisition, possession, and projected future gains. There is no present-moment awareness, no gratitude, and no limit. This is the psychology of compulsive accumulation, recognizable in individuals and in entire economic systems built on unlimited growth as the supreme good.

Practical Application (Modern Life)

The inner monologue described here ('I gained this, I want that, this is mine, and more will be mine') is familiar to most people at times. Catching this voice and greeting it with a question—'Is this truly the voice of my deepest self?'—creates a moment of freedom. Regular practice of generosity (dana) directly counteracts this compulsion by demonstrating that giving does not diminish you.

Chapter Content

View all shlokas in Chapter 16

Have a question?