Verse 16.9

Verse 16.9: “To such a view firmly clinging, these lost souls of deficient intellect, fierce in their deeds, and enemies (of mankind), prevail for the destruction of the world. (314)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

They feel disgust for God and indulge only in vain talk. There seems nothing like fixity of purpose in them. Nay—they openly espouse and accept in practice the theory of nihilism and plant firmly the doctrine (the bone) of atheism in their heart. Shoots (faint glimmering) of regard for the Heavens, or dread for the Hell (in them, if any) have completely withered. They thus naturally remain fettered in the stocks (khoḍā) in the form of the body form, like a bubble of dirty water and sink in the mire of sense objects. The fishermen gather around a deep water-spot at the approach of death to the aquatic animals, consequent on the drying up of water (on that spot): or all the diseases raise their heads up in the human body at its approaching fall, or the comet arises (over the horizon), portending evil to the world: in that way they (Demoniacs) come to birth for causing destruction to creatures in the world. Such persons are as it were the shoots that sprout from the seed in the form of inauspiciousness—in fact they are monumental pillars in motion and erected in honour of sins. The fire knows nothing else but burning (things) all around; in that way they are pastmasters in the art of committing misdeeds. But with what thoughtless and confused enthusiasm they felicitate themselves on performing such acts—“hear, Oh Partha”, said Shrinivas [Shrinivasa] (Lord Krishna).