Gita 16.10
Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga
काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः | मोहाद्गृहीत्वासद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः ||१०||
kāmam āśritya duṣpūraṁ dambha-māna-madānvitāḥ | mohād gṛhītvā asad-grāhān pravartante'śuci-vratāḥ ||10||
In essence: Sheltering in insatiable desire, drunk on pride and pretense, they hold false beliefs through delusion and engage in life with impure vows—a recipe for endless suffering.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "What does it mean to take refuge in desire? Isn't desire natural?"
Guru: "Desire is natural, but refuge is chosen. When you place your hope for happiness in getting what you desire, you have taken refuge in desire. When you orient your life around acquisition and experience, desire becomes your god. The divine seeker also experiences desire but does not shelter there—refuge is in truth, in the Self, in the Divine."
Sadhak: "Why is it called 'insatiable'—duṣpūram?"
Guru: "Have you ever achieved a desire and found lasting satisfaction? The new car thrills for a week, then becomes ordinary. The promotion excites, then becomes the new baseline. Desire fulfilled breeds new desire. This is the nature of desire—it promises fulfillment but delivers only more hunger. The demoniac do not recognize this pattern; they keep believing the next acquisition will finally satisfy. It never does."
Sadhak: "What are 'asat-grāhān'—false notions?"
Guru: "The beliefs that sustain the demoniac life: 'I am my body and its pleasures,' 'Power makes me safe,' 'More is better,' 'I am separate from others,' 'Death is far away,' 'There are no real consequences.' These are not conscious beliefs usually—they operate as assumptions, driving behavior without examination. They are 'asat'—unreal, false—yet they are 'gṛhītvā'—grasped, held tightly."
Sadhak: "What are impure vows?"
Guru: "The implicit or explicit commitments that shape daily life. Someone whose vow is 'I will accumulate wealth by any means' has an impure vow. Someone committed to 'looking good regardless of truth' has an impure vow. Vows need not be formal—they are the operating principles that guide action. Aśuci-vratāḥ describes lives oriented toward impurity as their guiding star."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Examine your refuges: 'What am I actually taking shelter in? What do I believe will bring me happiness and security?' Be honest. If the answer is primarily desire-objects—money, status, pleasure—recognize this without immediate self-condemnation but with clear seeing. Consider alternative refuges: truth, service, the Divine.
When desire arises strongly, notice the promise it carries: 'If only I get this, I will be satisfied.' Question this promise based on past experience. Have previous satisfactions brought lasting fulfillment? This inquiry is not to suppress desire but to see through its false advertising. Also watch for dambha (pretense), māna (pride), and mada (arrogance)—they are symptoms of underlying refuge in desire.
Reflect on the vows—explicit and implicit—that guided your day. 'What was I really committed to? What principles actually drove my decisions?' If you find impure vows (self-aggrandizement, deception, harmful acquisition), note them without harsh judgment. Consider what pure vows you want to live by instead. End with genuine aspiration for purification.