GitaChapter 16Verse 19

Gita 16.19

Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga

तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान् | क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु ||१९||

tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān saṁsāreṣu narādhamān | kṣipāmy ajasram aśubhān āsurīṣv eva yoniṣu ||19||

In essence: Those hateful, cruel, impure, and lowest of humans—I continually cast them into demoniac wombs throughout the cycles of existence.

A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply

Sadhak-Guru Dialogue

Sadhak: "This sounds like divine punishment. I thought God was all-loving?"

Guru: "Consider: Is gravity punishing when someone falls? Karma operates like natural law—actions have consequences. Krishna as cosmic administrator ensures law operates. This is not vindictive but impartial. The 'hurling' is really the natural gravitation of accumulated tendencies toward corresponding environments. God's love includes allowing consequences; otherwise, no learning occurs."

Sadhak: "Is anyone truly 'narādhama'—lowest of humans? Isn't that judgmental?"

Guru: "The term describes function, not essence. Someone functioning at the lowest level—hateful, cruel, without dharma—is operationally the lowest. This doesn't negate their divine core or permanent potential. A diamond in mud is still diamond, but functionally, it's not serving as a diamond. The description calls for transformation, not resignation."

Sadhak: "Can one escape this cycle once caught in it?"

Guru: "Yes—through divine grace and genuine turning. The next verses will describe the triple gate of hell and how to avoid it. Even those in demoniac situations can develop sattvic qualities, perform righteous acts, and gradually shift their karmic trajectory. The very fact that this teaching exists is proof that transformation is possible; why teach if change were impossible?"

Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.

🌅 Daily Practice

🌅 Morning

Reflect: Am I moving toward or away from demoniac patterns? This is not self-condemnation but honest assessment. Even small steps away from hatred, cruelty, and impurity change karmic direction. Set intention for the day: 'May my actions today move me toward the divine, not the demoniac.'

☀️ Daytime

When opportunities for cruelty arise—gossip, harsh judgment, exploitation—recognize these as pathways toward 'āsurī yoni.' Each choice builds trajectory. Choose differently, even if difficult. The accumulated weight of good choices becomes liberating momentum.

🌙 Evening

Review: Were there moments of hatred, cruelty, or callousness today? Not to punish yourself but to recognize patterns. Patterns recognized can be changed. End with aspiration: 'May I progressively embody divine qualities, leaving demoniac tendencies behind.'

Common Questions

Does this verse support belief in hell and rebirth? What if one doesn't accept these concepts?
Traditional understanding includes literal rebirth into hellish conditions. However, even metaphorically, the verse describes psychological truth: cruel, hateful patterns perpetuate themselves, creating subjective hell states and circumstances that reinforce the pattern. Whether understood cosmologically or psychologically, the dynamic is real.
Isn't calling anyone 'lowest of mankind' violent speech itself?
Krishna speaks to awaken, not to condemn. Like a surgeon's cut that heals, harsh words that stimulate transformation serve compassion. False comfort that allows continued degradation would be crueler. The Gita doesn't flatter; it diagnoses. Those willing to receive the diagnosis can be healed.