November 3, 2026
idam adya mayā labdham imaṁ prāpsye manorathaṁ
idam astī ’dam api me bhaviṣyati punar dhanaṁ
(XVI-13)
asau mayā hataḥ śatrur haniṣye cā ’parān api
īśvaro ’ham ahaṁ bhogī siddho ’haṁ balavān sukhī
(XVI-14)
ādhyo ’bhijanavān asmi ko ’nyo ’sti sadṛśo mayā
yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya ity ajñānavimohitāḥ
(XVI-15)
anekacittavibhrāntā mohajālasamāvṛtāḥ
prasaktāḥ kāmabhogeṣu patanti narake ’śucau
(XVI-16)
XVI/13. “This has been gained by me today; this desire I shall
obtain; this is mine and this wealth also shall be mine in future.
XVI/14. “That enemy has been slain by me; and others
also I shall slay. I am theLord. I enjoy. I am perfect (siddha),
powerful and happy.
XVI/15. “I am rich and born in a noble family. Who else is equal
to me? I will sacrifice. I will give (charity). I will rejoice.” – thus
deluded by ignorance,
XVI/16. Bewildered by many a fancy, entangled in the snare
of delusion, addicted to the gratification of lust, they fall
into a foul hell.
Swamiji's Commentary
Krishna even quotes their words – a rare honor not accorded to the pious devotee! – in order that we may not even mistakenly utter such words. Krishna does not dwell too much on the dark side of human nature, nor shall we. But he has succinctly given the very essence of this side of nature, and it is good to realize that extreme vigilance is needed not to let the devil masquerade in holy garb.
How often do religious leaders in the world indulge in expressions like the above! My Master often said: “Spiritual pride is the worst enemy of the seeker after God.” The Zen masters emphasized that “The ordinary life is Tao (truth)”. A saintly sister-seeker in South Africa, after pursuing much-publicized holiness, has discovered: “In a strange way my life has become a very simple one – in the little things I see perfection and beauty and fulfillment.”
The spiritual path is regarded as the ‘razor’s edge’, not because it may cut one’s foot, but because it is the perceivably subtle middle path which cannot be seen by the naked eye. The holy ones tread this path of life with their inner eye, the insight, open. As long as this insight is allowed to function without distortion or diversion by the mind, so long holiness prevails. Holiness is as simple as that.