Gita 16.11
Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga
चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः | कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्चिताः ||११||
cintām aparimeyāṁ ca pralayāntām upāśritāḥ | kāmopabhoga-paramā etāvad iti niścitāḥ ||11||
In essence: Beset by boundless anxiety that ends only with death, convinced that sense enjoyment is the highest goal—this is the trap: endless worry pursuing finite pleasure.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "The demoniac appear confident and successful. How can they be full of anxiety?"
Guru: "Appearance and reality differ. The confident exterior is itself a product of anxiety—fear of appearing weak, of being seen through, of losing position. Talk to anyone who has lived this way honestly, and they will describe constant stress, sleepless nights, never-enough accumulation. The surface success masks inner torment."
Sadhak: "But some wealthy, powerful people seem genuinely happy..."
Guru: "Do they? Or do they seem happy because we project happiness onto their circumstances? Some may have found peace despite wealth—through spiritual practice, through service, through wisdom. But the demoniac described here find no peace because their orientation guarantees anxiety. Power creates fear of rivals; wealth creates fear of loss; success creates fear of failure. The anxiety is inherent in the approach, not the external circumstances."
Sadhak: "What does 'pralayāntām' mean—ending only at death?"
Guru: "There is no retirement from anxiety for the demoniac. Each life stage brings new worries: youth worries about establishing themselves, middle age about maintaining position, old age about declining powers and death. Without spiritual understanding, no life phase brings peace. And death itself—the ultimate threat to everything they have built—looms over all. Their anxiety tracks them to the grave."
Sadhak: "The phrase 'etāvat iti niścitāḥ' is particularly sad—they are certain this is all there is."
Guru: "Yes. Their certainty prevents inquiry. If you are certain the prison is the whole world, you never look for a door. This false certainty—that sense enjoyment is the highest possibility—is what keeps them trapped. The irony is that they would call spiritual seekers deluded, while missing the vast reality beyond their narrow certainty."
Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.
🌅 Daily Practice
Check your own anxiety level: 'What am I worried about? What do I fear losing? What am I striving to obtain?' See how your anxieties connect to desires. Then ask: 'Is there something beyond this cycle of wanting and worrying?' Open to the possibility of peace independent of circumstances.
When anxiety arises, trace it to its root belief. Often you will find the assumption 'If I don't get/keep X, I cannot be happy.' Question this assumption: 'Is my well-being really dependent on this? Is there no peace possible otherwise?' These questions begin to loosen the grip of 'etāvat iti'—the limiting certainty that this is all.
Reflect on what brought genuine peace today—not excitement, not pleasure, but peace. Often it is simple things: a moment of presence, connection with another, appreciation of beauty. These glimpses point beyond kāmopabhoga (desire-enjoyment) to something deeper. Note them. Cultivate them. They are windows out of the prison.