मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः। राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः।।9.12।।
moghāśā moghakarmāṇo moghajñānā vicetasaḥ. rākṣasīm āsurīm caiva prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ śritāḥ.
Translation
Bewildered by the material energy, such persons embrace demoniac and atheistic views. In that deluded state, their hopes for welfare are in vain, their fruitive actions are wasted, and their culture of knowledge is baffled.
Word Meanings
mogha-āśāḥ — baffled in their hopes; mogha-karmāṇaḥ — baffled in fruitive activities; mogha-jñānāḥ — baffled in knowledge; vicetasaḥ — bewildered; rākṣasīm — demonic; āsurīm — atheistic; ca — and; eva — certainly; prakṛtim — nature; mohinīm — bewildering; śritāḥ — taking shelter of.
Understanding the Verse
In this verse Krishna points out the tragic condition of those whose consciousness is clouded by the threefold material delusion—hope (moghāśā), activity (moghakarmāṇa), and intellect (moghajñānā). When the mind is engaged in these futile pursuits, the individual loses the ability to discriminate between the eternal and the temporary. This loss of discernment (vicetasaḥ) makes the person susceptible to the lowest influences of nature.
Krishna uses strong imagery by describing the objects of attachment as "rākṣasīm āsurīm"—the demonic and the atheistic. In the Vedic worldview, "rākṣasa" and "āsura" are not merely mythological beings; they symbolize qualities that are anti‑spiritual, destructive, and opposed to dharma. To cling to such qualities is to align oneself with forces that perpetuate ignorance and suffering, rather than the path of liberation.
The phrase "prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ" highlights that material nature itself is a source of bewilderment. While prakṛti is the manifest universe, it is veiled by Maya, creating an illusion of permanence and self‑sufficiency. Those who take shelter (śritāḥ) in this deceptive realm become ensnared in a cycle of endless desires and actions that never lead to true fulfillment. Their hopes for welfare become empty, their ritualistic deeds lose merit, and even their intellectual pursuits become distorted.
Krishna’s warning is not merely a moral admonition but a psychological insight into human behavior. When a person’s identity is built on external achievements, sensory pleasures, or intellectual ego, the core self is neglected. Consequently, the individual gravitates toward materialistic world‑views that deny the spiritual reality, leading to a self‑destructive path. The verse urges seekers to recognize the folly of such attachment and to turn inward, seeking the guidance of the Supreme who transcends material darkness. By cultivating humility, devotion, and true knowledge, one can dismantle the delusion and align with the divine nature that is beyond maya.
Thus, Chapter 9, Verse 12 serves as a pivotal reminder that without the illumination of Krishna’s grace, the soul remains lost in the darkness of demonic and atheistic tendencies, perpetually bound to the fleeting cosmos. The solution lies in surrendering the ego‑driven hopes, actions, and intellect to the divine, thereby attaining clarity and liberation.
