Bhagavad Gita 16.21
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः। कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत्॥
tri-vidhaṁ narakasyedaṁ dvāraṁ nāśanam ātmanaḥ | kāmaḥ krodhas tathā lobhas tasmād etat trayaṁ tyajet ||
“Three are the gates of this self-destructive hell — lust, anger, and greed. Therefore, one should abandon these three.”- anger
- desire
- greed
- self-destruction
What this verse is about
This verse speaks to anger, and the wanting that usually sits underneath it, desires that pull the mind in many directions, and the grasping that keeps asking for more.
✦ Contemplation
These three — wanting, anger, grasping — don't make you a bad person. They just make you less free.
✦ A small practice
Notice which one visits you most today. Just notice. You don't have to fix it.
Chapter 16
The Yoga of Divine and Demonic QualitiesDaivāsura Sampad Vibhāga Yoga
Two dispositions, visible in any person on any day. One quietly frees; the other quietly consumes.
Dilemmas this verse speaks to
Questions real people carry that this verse has something to say about.
Sit with this verse a little longer.
Ask Dharma how this verse might land in your own life — and receive a calm, verse-grounded reflection.
Ask Dharma about 16.21