असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम् ।
अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम् ॥
अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम् ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
वे कहा करते हैं कि संसार असत्य, अप्रतिष्ठित और बिना ईश्वरके अपनेआप केवल स्त्रीपुरुषके संयोगसे पैदा हुआ है । इसलिये काम ही इसका कारण है, और कोई कारण नहीं है ॥
English
They say the world is unreal, without foundation, and without a ruling order, born only from the union of male and female. They say desire alone is its cause, and nothing else.
What this verse means
Some people deny any higher order in the world. They reduce existence to chance, physical union, and desire alone.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield, Krishna is exposing the mindset behind destructive action. After naming the traits of the asuric person, he shows how such people explain the world itself: no higher order, no moral foundation, only desire and accident. This prepares the warning in the next verse.
Why this verse still matters
A friend shrugs at betrayal and says, “People are just wired this way.” That sentence can sound clever, but it can also erase responsibility and flatten the whole moral world.
The takeaway
A shallow explanation can feel confident and still miss what is most real.
Word-by-word translation
असत्यम् (untrue) / अप्रतिष्ठम् (without foundation) / ते (they) / जगत् (world) / आहुः (say) / अनीश्वरम् (without a ruling lord) / अपरस्परसम्भूतम् (born without mutual cause) / किम् अन्यत् (what else) / कामहैतुकम् (caused by desire) ॥
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16: Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga — The Divine and Demoniac Natures, which contains 24 verses.
Explore related themes: adharma (12 verses)