Verse 16
अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः | प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ || १६ ||
Transliteration
aneka-citta-vibhrāntā moha-jāla-samāvṛtāḥ prasaktāḥ kāma-bhogeṣu patanti narake 'śucau
Synonyms
aneka—many; citta—minds; vibhrāntāḥ—perplexed; moha—delusion; jāla—network; samāvṛtāḥ—covered; prasaktāḥ—attached; kāma-bhogeṣu—to sense enjoyment; patanti—they fall; narake—into hell; aśucau—unclean.
Translation
“Perplexed by many anxieties, entangled in the net of delusion, deeply attached to sense pleasures, they fall into a foul hell.”
Multi-Tradition Commentary
The 'many minds' (aneka-citta) describes the fragmented psychology of the desire-driven person—pulled in different directions by competing wants, with no stable center of values or identity. The 'net of delusion' (moha-jāla) captures how each thread of illusion connects to others, making it increasingly difficult to see clearly or escape. The 'foul hell' is not only a future consequence but the present experience of such a life.
Practical Application (Modern Life)
Internal fragmentation—the experience of being pulled in many directions by competing desires, roles, and identities—is itself a form of hell. Spiritual practice works partly by establishing a center: a stable point of values, purpose, and identity that is not blown about by every wind of circumstance. What is your center? Clarifying this is an urgent priority.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 16.16 mean?
Perplexed by many anxieties, entangled in the net of delusion, deeply attached to sense pleasures, they fall into a foul hell.
What is the word-by-word meaning of Bhagavad Gita 16.16?
aneka—many; citta—minds; vibhrāntāḥ—perplexed; moha—delusion; jāla—network; samāvṛtāḥ—covered; prasaktāḥ—attached; kāma-bhogeṣu—to sense enjoyment; patanti—they fall; narake—into hell; aśucau—unclean.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 16.16 in daily life?
Internal fragmentation—the experience of being pulled in many directions by competing desires, roles, and identities—is itself a form of hell. Spiritual practice works partly by establishing a center: a stable point of values, purpose, and identity that is not blown about by every wind of circumstance. What is your center? Clarifying this is an urgent priority.