The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
त्रिविधम्threefoldनरकस्यof ruinइदम्thisद्वारम्gateनाशनम्destroyerआत्मनःof the selfकामःdesireक्रोधःangerतथाand alsoलोभःgreedतस्मात्thereforeएतत्theseत्रयम्threeत्यजेत्should abandon
Read literallythreefold · of ruin · this · gate · destroyer · of the self · desire · anger · and also · greed · therefore · these · three · should abandon
Understanding the verse
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Krishna names three gates of ruin, desire, anger and greed, and tells Arjuna to abandon all three.
Desire, anger, and greed are the three forces that drag a person downward. Krishna says they must be given up.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
Krishna now names the inner enemies that make clear action impossible: desire, anger, and greed. He says these must be dropped before a person can act rightly.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
Before signing a loan for a flat beyond your means, ask which gate you are walking through: desire, anger at a sibling who bought first, or greed. Krishna says to leave all three.
The takeaway
“You do not have to obey every impulse. Freedom begins when you stop feeding the forces that trap you.”
Desire, anger, and greed are the three forces that drag a person downward. Krishna says they must be given up.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 16.21?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga" (The Divine and Demoniac Natures).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 16.21?
Verse 21 sits in Chapter 16 of the Bhagavad Gita — Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga, "The Divine and Demoniac Natures". The chapter has 24 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 16.21 matter today?
Before signing a loan for a flat beyond your means, ask which gate you are walking through: desire, anger at a sibling who bought first, or greed. Krishna says to leave all three.
Krishna names three gates of ruin, desire, anger and greed, and tells Arjuna to abandon all three.
What this verse means
Desire, anger, and greed are the three forces that drag a person downward. Krishna says they must be given up.
Context & commentary
Krishna now names the inner enemies that make clear action impossible: desire, anger, and greed. He says these must be dropped before a person can act rightly.
What it looks like today
Before signing a loan for a flat beyond your means, ask which gate you are walking through: desire, anger at a sibling who bought first, or greed. Krishna says to leave all three.
“You do not have to obey every impulse. Freedom begins when you stop feeding the forces that trap you.”
Explore related themes: kama (23 verses), self mastery (16 verses), adharma (12 verses)