Verse 16.12
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः | ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान् ||१२||
Transliteration (IAST)
āśā-pāśa-śatair baddhāḥ kāma-krodha-parāyaṇāḥ | īhante kāma-bhogārtham anyāyenārtha-sañcayān ||12||
Word-by-Word Meanings
āśā-pāśa-śataiḥ-by hundreds of bonds of desire
baddhāḥ-bound
kāma-krodha-parāyaṇāḥ-devoted to lust and anger
īhante-they strive
kāma-bhoga-artham-for the purpose of sense enjoyment
anyāyena-by unjust means
artha-sañcayān-accumulation of wealth
Translation
Bound by hundreds of bonds of desire, devoted to lust and anger, they strive to accumulate wealth by unjust means for the gratification of their desires.
Commentary
Shankaracharya explains that āśā-pāśa (nooses of hope) are compared to hundreds of ropes binding the soul. The demoniac are driven by kāma (desire) when pursuing objects and krodha (anger) when obstructed. Madhva notes that anyāyena (unjust means) indicates their complete disregard for dharma in pursuit of artha - a reversal of the proper puruṣārtha hierarchy.
Themes
karmadharma