Verse 16.21

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 16.21:

त्रि-विधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनम् आत्मनः ।
कामः क्रोधस् तथा लोभस् तस्माद् एतत् त्रयं त्यजेत् ॥ २१ ॥

tri-vidhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanam ātmanaḥ |
kāmaḥ krodhas tathā lobhas tasmād etat trayaṃ tyajet || 21 ||

tri-vidham–three kinds; narakasya–to hell; idam–this; dvāram–of gates; nāśanam–they cause the destruction; ātmanaḥ–of the soul; kāmaḥ–lust; krodhaḥ–anger; tathā–and; lobhaḥ–greed; tasmāt–therefore; etat–these; trayam–three; tyajet–one should give up.

Lust, anger and greed are the three gates that lead to hell, and they cause the destruction of the soul. Therefore, one should completely renounce them.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

The demoniac qualities have now been explained in detail. “O Arjuna, do not grieve, for you have been born with divine qualities” (Gītā 16.5). This statement is certainly correct. These evil faults (lust, anger and greed) are natural only for the demons; therefore, Śrī Bhagavān speaks this verse beginning with tri-vidham.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

The demoniac qualities de-scribed above are both self-destructive and the gateways to hell. Three of these qualities–lust, anger and greed–are the root of all other demoniac qualities. Therefore, every human being who desires his own welfare should give them up completely. It is not even possible for karmīs, jñānīs or yogīs to control these tendencies, despite their various endeavours, but a pure devotee, by the powerful influence of saintly association (sādhu-saṅga), easily engages these three enemies in the service of Śrī Hari, and thus displays an extraordinary example of subduing them.