Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 16, verse 8 · Krishna

Bhagavad Gita 16.8 · Asatyamapratishtham Te

असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम् ।
अपरस्परसंभूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम् ॥

asatyamapratiṣṭhaṃ te jagadāhuranīśvaram |
aparasparasaṃbhūtaṃ kimanyatkāmahaitukam ||

Translation

They say the world is unreal, without foundation and without God, not brought about by any ordered causation — what else is its cause but desire?

Context

Spoken by Krishna in chapter 16, Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga — “The Divine and Demonic Natures”, which has 24 verses.

Frequently asked questions

What does Bhagavad Gita 16.8 mean?

They say the world is unreal, without foundation and without God, not brought about by any ordered causation — what else is its cause but desire?

Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 16.8?

Krishna, speaking to Arjuna, in chapter 16, Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga (The Divine and Demonic Natures).

Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.