Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 16 - Shloka (Verse) 20

व्याख्या -- आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना ৷৷. मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय -- पीछेके श्लोकमें भगवान्ने आसुर मनुष्योंको बारबार पशुपक्षी आदिकी योनियोंमें गिरानेकी बात कही। अब उसी बातको लेकर भगवान् यहाँ कहते हैं कि मनुष्यजन्ममें मुझे प्राप्त करनेका दुर्लभ अवसर पाकर भी वे आसुर मनुष्य मेरी प्राप्ति न करके पशु? पक्षी आदि आसुरी योनियोंमें चले जाते हैं और बारबार उन आसुरी योनियोंमें ही जन्म लेते रहते हैं।मामप्राप्यैव पदसे भगवान् पश्चात्तापके साथ कहते हैं कि अत्यन्त कृपा करके मैंने जीवोंको मनुष्यशरीर देकर इन्हें अपना उद्धार करनेका मौका दिया और यह विश्वास किया कि ये अपना उद्धार अवश्य कर लेंगे परन्ते ये नराधम इतने मूढ़ और विश्वासघाती निकले कि जिस शरीरसे मेरी प्राप्ति करनी थी? उससे मेरी प्राप्ति न करके उलटे अधम गतिको चले गये
मनुष्यशरीर प्राप्त हो जानेके बाद वह कैसा ही आचरणवाला क्यों न हो अर्थात् दुराचारीसेदुराचारी क्यों न हो? वह भी यदि चाहे तो थो़ड़ेसेथोड़े समयमें (गीता 9। 30 -- 31) और जीवनके अन्तकालमें (गीता 8। 5) भी भगवान्को प्राप्त कर सकता है। कारण कि समोऽहं सर्वभूतेषु (गीता 9। 29) कहकर भगवान्ने अपनी प्राप्ति सबके लिये अर्थात् प्राणिमात्रके लिये खुली रखी है। हाँ? यह बात हो सकती है कि पशुपक्षी,आदिमें उनको प्राप्त करनेकी योग्यता नहीं है परन्तु भगवान्की तरफसे तो किसीके लिये भी मना नहीं है। ऐसा अवसर सर्वथा प्राप्त हो जानेपर भी ये आसुर मनुष्य भगवान्को प्राप्त न करके अधम गतिमें चले जाते हैं? तो इनकी इस दुर्गतिको देखकर परम दयालु प्रभु दुःखी होते हैं।ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम् -- आसुरी योनियोंमें जानेपर भी उनके सभी पाप पूरे नष्ट नहीं होते। अतः उन बचे हुए पापोंको भोगनेके लिये वे उन आसुरी योनियोंसे भी भयङ्कर अधम गतिको अर्थात् नरकोंको प्राप्त होते हैं।यहाँ शङ्का हो सकती है कि आसुरी योनियोंको प्राप्त हुए मनुष्योंको तो उन योनियोंमें भगवान्को प्राप्त करनेका अवसर ही नहीं है और उनमें वह योग्यता भी नहीं है? फिर भगवान्ने ऐसा क्यों कहा कि वे मेरेको प्राप्त न करके उससे भी अधम गतिमें चले जाते हैं इसका समाधान यह है कि भगवान्का ऐसा कहना आसुरी योनियोंको प्राप्त होनेसे पूर्व मनुष्यशरीरको लेकर ही है। तात्पर्य है कि मनुष्यशरीरको पाकर? मेरी प्राप्तिका अधिकार पाकर भी वे मनुष्य मेरी प्राप्ति न करके जन्मजन्मान्तरमें आसुरी योनियोंको प्राप्त होते हैं। इतना ही नहीं? वे उन आसुरी योनियोंसे भी नीचे कुम्भीपाक आदि घोर नरकोंमें चले जाते हैं।
विशेष बात
भगवत्प्राप्तिके अथवा कल्याणके उद्देश्यसे दिये गये मनुष्यशरीरको पाकर भी मनुष्य कामना? स्वार्थ एवं अभिमानके वशीभूत होकर चोरीडकैती? झूठकपट? धोखा? विश्वासघात? हिंसा आदि जिन कर्मोंको करते हैं? उनके दो परिणाम होते हैं -- (1) बाहरी फलअंश और (2) भीतरी संस्कारअंश। दूसरोंको दुःख देनेपर उनका (जिनको दुःख दिया गया है) तो वही नुकसान होता है? जो प्रारब्धसे होनेवाला है परन्तु जो दुःख देते हैं? वे नया पाप करते हैं? जिसका फल नरक उन्हें भोगना ही पड़ता है। इतना ही नहीं? दुराचारोंके द्वारा जो नये पाप होनेके बीज बोये जाते हैं अर्थात् उन दुराचारोंके द्वारा अहंतामें जो दुर्भाव बैठ जाते हैं? उनसे मनुष्यका बहुत भयंकर नुकसान होता है। जैसे? चोरीरूप कर्म करनेसे पहले मनुष्य स्वयं चोर बनता है क्योंकि वह चोर बनकर ही चोरी करेगा और चोरी करनेसे अपनेमें (अहंतामें) चोरका भाव दृढ़ हो जायगा (टिप्पणी प0 827.1)। इस प्रकार चोरीके संस्कार उसकी अहंतामें बैठ जाते हैं। ये संस्कार मनुष्यका बड़ा भारी पतन करते हैं -- उससे बारबार चोरीरूप पाप करवाते है और फलस्वरूप नरकोंमें ले जाते हैं। अतः जबतक वह मनुष्य अपना कल्याण नहीं कर लेता अर्थात् जबतक वह अपनी अहंतामें बैठाये हुए दुर्भावोंको नहीं मिटाता? तबतक वे दुर्भाव जन्मजन्मान्तरतक दुराचारोंको बल देते रहेंगे? उकसाते रहेंगे और उनके कारण वे आसुरी योनियोंमें तथा उससे भी भयङ्कर नरक आदिमें दुःख? सन्ताप? आफत आदि पाते ही रहेंगे।
उन आसुरी योनियोंमें भी उनकी प्रकृति और प्रवृत्तिके अनुसार यह देखा जाता है कि कई पशुपक्षी? भूतपिशाच? कीटपतंग आदि सौम्यप्रकृतिप्रधान होते हैं और कई क्रूरप्रकृतिप्रधान होते हैं। इस तरह उनकी प्रकृति(स्वभाव) में भेद उनकी अपनी बनायी हुई शुद्ध या अशुद्ध अहंताके कारण ही होते हैं। अतः उन योनियोंमें अपनेअपने कर्मोंका फलभोग होनेपर भी उनकी प्रकृतिके भेद वैसे ही बने रहते हैं। इतना ही नहीं सम्पूर्ण योनियोंको और नरकोंको भोगनेके बाद किसी क्रमसे अथवा भगवत्कृपासे उनको मनुष्यशरीर प्राप्त हो भी जाता है? तो भी उनकी अहंतामें बैठे हुए कामक्रोधादि दुर्भाव पहलेजैसे ही रहते हैं (टिप्पणी प0 827.2)। इसी प्रकार जो स्वर्गप्राप्तिकी कामनासे यहाँ शुभ कर्म करते हैं? और मरनेके बाद उन कर्मोंके अनुसार स्वर्गमें जाते हैं? वहाँ उनके कर्मोंका फलभोग तो हो जाता है? पर उनके स्वभावका परिवर्तन नहीं होता अर्थात् उनकी अहंतामें परिवर्तन नहीं होता (टिप्पणी प0 827.3)। स्वभावको बदलनेका? शुद्ध बनानेका मौका तो मनुष्यशरीरमें ही है।
सम्बन्ध -- पूर्वश्लोकमें भगवान्ने कहा कि ये जीव मनुष्यशरीरमें मेरी प्राप्तिका अवसर पाकर भी मुझे प्राप्त नहीं करते? जिससे मुझे उनको अधम योनिमें भेजना पड़ता है। उनका अधम योनिमें और अधम गति(नरक) में जानेका मूल कारण क्या है -- इसको भगवान् आगेके श्लोकमें बताते हैं।

वे मूढ -- अविवेकीजन? जन्मजन्ममें यानी प्रत्येक जन्ममें आसुरी योनिको पाते हुए अर्थात् जिनमें तमोगुणकी बहुलता है? ऐसी योनियोंमें जन्मते हुए? नीचे गिरतेगिरते मुझ ईश्वरको न पाकर? उन पूर्वप्राप्त योनियोंकी अपेक्षा भी अधिक अधमगतिको प्राप्त होते हैं। मुझे प्राप्त न होकर ऐसा कहनेका तात्पर्य यह है कि मेरे द्वारा कहे हुए श्रेष्ठ मार्गको भी न पाकर? क्योंकि मेरी प्राप्तिकी तो उनके लिये कोई आशङ्का ही नहीं है।
,

(Objection): Will they too not attain spiritual welfare eventually at the end of many births? (Reply): He says "No" with the verse "Āsurīm" etc.

(Doubt): If there is no possibility (doubt) of them attaining the Lord to begin with, how can there be a negation of it? (Reply): Anticipating this, He speaks with "Mām" (Not attaining Me), etc.

Since the demoniac estate is an obstacle to all human goals through a continuous succession of disasters, the collective meaning is that as long as a person is independent (has human agency) and has not fallen into a womb that renders him helpless, he must avoid it (this demoniac nature).

(Objection): Will they too not attain spiritual welfare eventually at the end of many births? (Reply): He says "No" with "Āsurīm." The deluded, indiscriminating ones, attaining a demoniac womb in birth after birth, "not attaining Me" (the Lord)—meaning, because there is not even a possibility of attaining Me, the implication suggested by the word "eva" (implied/interpreted) is that they do not attain even the virtuous path commanded by Me. From there, they go to a destination even lower and viler than the demoniac womb; the meaning is that their welfare will never occur.

By addressing Arjuna as "Kaunteya," He indicates: "Since you are the son of My father's sister, having attained Me, you are unfit to go into demoniac wombs, so do not grieve."

Since the demoniac estate is a succession of disasters and an obstacle to all human goals, the collective meaning is that those who have attained a human birth through divine grace must avoid this (demoniac nature) by all means.

He states the result of attaining the demoniac womb as well—with "Āsurīm" etc.

"Adhamām" (lowest destination) refers to a hellish state, or a form such as animals/birds (tiryag) or immobile things (sthavara).

They attain births that are "hostile to being favorable to Me." And again, "in birth after birth," they are "deluded"—meaning they possess knowledge contrary to Me. "Not attaining Me at all"—meaning not attaining the knowledge that "Lord Vasudeva is the Lord of all"—"from that" (birth), they go to a destination even lower.

He states the root cause of this demoniac nature, which constitutes self-destruction (in the next verse)...

Moreover—regarding "āsurīm" etc.

Regarding "not attaining Me at all"—by the use of the emphatic particle 'eva' (at all/even), (it is implied): where is even the doubt (possibility) of them attaining Me? (Meaning, it is impossible).

Thus, it is stated that not attaining even the "virtuous path" (Sanmarga) which is the means to attaining Me, they go to a "destination lower than that"—meaning wombs of worms, insects, etc.

The rest is clear.

A succession of progressive degradation is described by the verse "āsurīm."

He explains the resultant meaning of the word "mūḍhāḥ" as "those possessing contrary knowledge about Me." Or, 'delusion' (moha) here specifically means 'contrary knowledge,' and to fit the context of the sentence, it is qualified as regarding 'Himself' (the Lord).

Since the attainment of the Supreme Brahman is achievable even for those established in Sattva only through perfection across many births, it is inappropriate to discuss the possibility (occurrence) and negation of that (actual attainment) regarding Tamasic people. Therefore, what is being negated here for the demons, who are not under the control of scripture, is the attainment of scriptural knowledge—which is the first step towards (actual) attainment.

To clarify that "attainment" here refers to scriptural knowledge, the commentator explains: "God exists..." (i.e., the knowledge that God exists).

Since "lowness" (adhamatva) is relative to a "higher" limit/point, the word "tataḥ" (from that) is present to supply that limit. Therefore, implying that "tataḥ" is not appropriate in the causal sense (therefore), the commentator explains it as "from that very birth" (they go to a lower state).

इस श्लोक का तात्पर्य यह है कि जब तक मनुष्य अपनी आसुरी प्रवृत्तियों के वश में उनका दास बना रहता है तब तक वह उसी प्रकार के हीन जन्मों को प्राप्त होता रहता है। वह आत्मा के परमानन्द स्वरूप का अनुभव नहीं कर पाता है।अब तक दैवी और आसुरी सम्पदाओं का स्पष्ट एवं विस्तृत विवेचन किया गया है। बहुसंख्यक लोगों की न्यूनाधिक मात्रा में असुरों की श्रेणी में ही गणना की जा सकती है। परन्तु एक आध्यात्मिक साधक को केवल ऐसे वर्णनों से सन्तोष नहीं होता। वह अपनी पतित अवस्था से स्वयं का उद्धार करना चाहता है। अत? अब भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण अर्जुन के माध्यम से मानवमात्र के आत्मविकास का पथ प्रदर्शन करते हैं। कोई भी व्यक्ति नित्य निरन्तर नारकीय यातनाओं का ही भागीदार नहीं हो सकता है शाश्वत नरक प्राप्ति का मत अयुक्तियुक्त और अदार्शनिक है।भगवान् कहते हैं

Regarding the section from "ātmasambhāvitāḥ" up to "gatim" (the goal/course). They sacrifice with "name" sacrifices—meaning with fruitless sacrifices.

The implication is that everything is destroyed by anger. Alternatively, "nāmayajñaiḥ" means with sacrifices that exist by designation (signifier) only. Or—sacrifices performed for the sake of a "name" or fame—so that the title "this person is a performer of sacrifices" is generated—these are performed with hypocrisy alone and do not bear fruit.

Because they are corrupted by anger etc., in hating people, they hate Me alone; for I, Vasudeva, am the abode of all.

And those harboring hatred within themselves practice what is harmful to themselves (which is the cause of falling into hell). And I cast them into demoniac wombs alone.

(Objection): Will they too not attain spiritual welfare eventually at the end of a sequence of many births? (Reply): He says "No" with "Āsurīm."

Those who have once attained a demoniac womb, being deluded—indiscriminate due to the preponderance of Tamas—in birth after birth, go from there to a destination even lower, the vilest destination.

"Not attaining Me"—there is not even a suspicion (possibility) of attaining Me, so the meaning is "not attaining the Vedic path taught by Me." The particle "eva" (even/at all) indicates the intrinsic unfitness to attain the Vedic path in species like animals and immobile objects. The meaning is that, becoming unfit for the Vedic path due to excessive Tamas, they go from a previously low womb to a successively lower, vilest womb.

By the address "O Kaunteya," mentioning His own relationship, He indicates, "You are safe from this."

Since for those who have once fallen into a demoniac womb, there is a succession of lower and lower wombs, and no capacity to remedy it due to excessive Tamas, therefore, as long as the human body is available, those desiring welfare should strictly and quickly practice the Divine Estate to the best of their ability to avoid the demoniac estate, which is most grievous. Otherwise, upon attaining the body of an animal etc., due to the unfitness for performing spiritual practice, there will never be any escape, and a great calamity will befall—this is the collective meaning.

As it is said: "He who does not treat the disease of hell right here, what will he do, being sick, after going to a place where there is no medicine?"

He states the result for those who have attained that womb—"Āsurīm" etc. "In birth after birth"—the repetition (vīpsā) is to indicate the continuity of that state. "O Kaunteya, attaining a demoniac womb—a womb opposed to the practice of My Dharma—and due to the absence of means to attain Me, without attaining Me at all, at the end of that birth, they go to the lowest destination—which is the entry into blinding darkness.

By the particle "eva" (even/at all), it is indicated that even during the state of Incarnation (Avatar), which is open for all to see, they depart without attaining a vision of Me (My true nature) due to ignorance of My essential form.

By the address "Kaunteya," it is indicated that by obtaining birth in the home of a devotee, one is fit to attain Him.

"Attaining a demoniac womb"—meaning fallen into it; "deluded"—indiscriminating; "in birth after birth"—being born in every birth only in wombs preponderant in Tamas and going downwards, they remain deluded. "Not attaining Me, the Lord"—without reaching Me at all, O Kaunteya! "From that," they go to a "lower destination"—the vilest destination. "Not attaining Me at all"—there is not even a suspicion (possibility) of attaining Me; therefore, the meaning is "not attaining the virtuous path taught by Me."

This summary of the entire demoniac estate is now being stated; that threefold (fault) in which all infinite varieties of the demoniac estate are included, by the avoidance of which the (demoniac estate) is avoided, and which is the root of all disaster—that is being stated here (in the next verse)...

Regarding "Āsurīm" etc. "Not attaining Me at all"—meaning, without having any connection with Me even through vision/sight, they go to the lowest destination.

By the particle "eva" (at all), it is implied that they do not even attain the "virtuous path" (Sanmarga) which is the means to attain Me; so how could there be any question of attaining Me? "From that" (or therefore), they attain the lowest destination which is called "Andhantamas" (blinding darkness) or "Maya" itself—this is what is stated.

असुरीम् demoniacal? योनिम् womb? आपन्नाः entering into? मूढाः deluded? जन्मनि जन्मनि in birth after birth? माम् Me? अप्राप्य not attaining? एव still? कौन्तेय O son of Kunti (Arjuna)? ततः than that? यान्ति (they) fall into? अधमाम् lower? गतिम् condition (path or goal).Commentary These degraded Asuras are cast into the demoniacal wombs. They are reduced to the very lowest condition or the most appalling state. They are cast into utter darkness. They fall into lower and yet lower wombs in response to their own satanic desires and actions and their extreme Tamasic nature. From the birth of a tiger? they will get the birth of a serpent from a serpents they will get the birth of a wormfrom that they will get the birth of a tree? etc. In Sanskrit the suffix Tara denotes comparative degree and Tama is superlative degree. These people get Nikrishtatama Yonis (the lowest wombs).They do not reach Me as their minds are filled with impurities? as they do not tread the path of righteousness in accordance with the injunctions of the scriptures. The diabolical nature is inimical to spiritual progress. Therefore? you will have to annihilate the evil tendencies by cultivating divine alities and the practice of regular meditation. Then and only then will you attain liberation.

Apannah, being born, having acired; (births) asurim, among the demoniacal; yonim, species; janmani janmani, in births after births; the mudhah, fools, non-discriminating ones; being born in every birth into species in which tamas prevails, and going downwards, aprapya eva, without ever reaching, approaching; mam, Me, who am God; O son of Kunti, yanti, they attain; gatim, conditions; tatah adhamam, lower even than that.
Since there is not the least possibility of attaining Me, what is implied by saying, 'without ever reachin Me', is, 'by not attaining the virtuous path enjoined by Me.'
This is being stated as a summary of all the demoniacal alities. The triplet-under which are comprehended all the different demoniacal alities though they are infinite in number, (and) by the avoidance of which (three) they (all the demaniacal alities) become rejected, and which is the root of all evils- is being stated:

'These deluded men,' viz., those entertaining perverse knowledge about Me, attain repeatedly births that tend them to be antagonistic to Me. Never 'attaining Me,' viz., never arriving at the knowledge that Vasudeva, the Lord and the ruler of all, truly exists, they go farther and farther down, from that birth, to the lowest level.
Sri Krsna proceeds to explain the root-cause of the ruin to the self of demoniac nature: