A core teaching · reflective in mood · a little context helps
“Endless wanting turns life into a tunnel with no horizon.”
They take refuge in endless worries that last until death, live only for acquiring and enjoying things, and decide that this is all there is.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
Read literallyworry · immeasurable · and · lasting until dissolution/death · taking refuge in · for whom desire-enjoyment is the highest · so much only · thus · deciding firmly
People trapped in desire live with endless worry, chase possessions and pleasure, and conclude that material life is all that exists.
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga" (The Divine and Demoniac Natures).
Verse 11 sits in Chapter 16 of the Bhagavad Gita — Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga, "The Divine and Demoniac Natures". The chapter has 24 verses in total.
You scroll past midnight, checking prices, messages, and comparisons, convinced you still need one more thing. The mind keeps asking for more, and never feels full.
Did you like this verse?
It shifts attention from chasing accumulation to noticing how desire manufactures anxiety.
What this verse means
People trapped in desire live with endless worry, chase possessions and pleasure, and conclude that material life is all that exists.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Krishna is exposing the inner life of the hostile forces before Arjuna. He describes people who cling to worry, pleasure, and possession as if nothing higher exists. This verse deepens that diagnosis.
Why this verse still matters
You scroll past midnight, checking prices, messages, and comparisons, convinced you still need one more thing. The mind keeps asking for more, and never feels full.
“You can see how craving shrinks a whole life into anxiety and appetite.”
Explore related themes: kama (23 verses)