Chapter 16 · Verse 17 · Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 16.17
Sanskrit
आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः।यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्।।16.17।।
Transliteration
ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhana-māna-madānvitāḥ yajante nāma-yajñais te dambhenāvidhi-pūrvakam
In plain words
You may be going through the motions—the right words, the right actions, the performance of being spiritual or whole—while inside you feel empty, performing for an invisible audience of your own ego. Krishna says: the moment you realize you're playing a part instead of living from your heart, you've already begun to wake up. Real healing starts when you stop trying to look saved and actually let yourself be saved.
Word by Word
When the ego inflates with wealth and social standing, the heart grows deaf to dharma's whisper. Such a person performs rituals as empty theater—the form of worship without its soul, sacrifice without surrender.
This verse reveals a painful truth: we can go through all the motions of spirituality while remaining spiritually asleep, trapped in the prison of our own importance. In our modern world of social media and curated success, this teaching asks us: are we serving something greater, or merely performing for an audience of one—ourselves?
Listen
Bhagavad Gita 16.17 — BG 16.17
Your Mantra Prescription
This mantra is prescribed for clarity and purpose. Is that what you're going through?
2.2M people trust Mahakatha