THE VERSE

अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः ।
मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः ॥

In this verse, Krishna is not pointing fingers at “bad people.” He is describing a mindset — a pattern that can quietly grow inside anyone. The verse talks about a person who has taken shelter in अहङ्कार (ego), बल (power), दर्प (arrogance), काम (craving), and क्रोध (anger). When these qualities become the foundation of someone’s identity, something shifts inside them. They stop seeing others clearly. They stop seeing themselves clearly. This is not mythology. This is psychology.

अहङ्कार — When the Self Becomes Too Important

अहङ्कार is not confidence. It is when the “I” becomes rigid and oversized. It is when being right becomes more important than being truthful.

Imagine a simple domestic argument. A wife tells her husband that something he said hurt her. Instead of listening, he immediately says, “You always misunderstand me.” He does not pause. He does not reflect. He defends. Why? Because admitting fault would shake his image of himself. That is अहङ्कार. It is the part of us that would rather damage a relationship than damage our pride. Over time, this kind of ego isolates a person. They may appear strong on the outside, but internally they are fragile — constantly guarding their identity.

बल — Power Without Maturity

Power is not wrong. Strength is not wrong. But when power combines with ego, it becomes control.

Think of a father who constantly says, “I know what’s best. Don’t argue.” His children stop sharing their thoughts, not because they agree, but because they feel unheard. The father thinks he is maintaining authority. In reality, he is losing connection. Or a manager who humiliates juniors in meetings to show dominance. That is not leadership. That is insecurity wearing authority. बल in this verse refers to the power that feeds the ego instead of protecting others. When power is used to silence rather than support, it slowly damages relationships.

दर्प — Arrogance That Blocks Growth

दर्प is ego expressed outwardly. It is the visible form of pride.

You may have met someone who never truly listens. While you speak, they are already preparing their response. They interrupt. They correct. They dismiss. Arrogance is subtle. It doesn’t always shout. Sometimes it simply refuses to learn.

For example, a person who believes they are spiritually advanced may secretly look down on others who are “less aware.” That is also दर्प. When arrogance grows, curiosity dies. And when curiosity dies, growth stops.

काम — The Restlessness of Never Enough

In this verse, काम is not limited to physical desire. It is craving — especially craving for validation, control, recognition. Picture someone who achieves something meaningful — a promotion, praise, or social approval. For a moment, they feel satisfied. But soon after, they begin worrying about the next achievement. The mind says, “What next? Is this enough? Do people admire me?” This constant inner hunger creates restlessness. काम makes a person dependent on external sources for internal stability. They cannot sit quietly. They cannot feel complete. There is always something missing. And when craving is blocked, frustration begins.

क्रोध — Anger as Defense

क्रोध here is not righteous anger. It is the anger that appears when the ego feels threatened. You question someone gently, and suddenly they react intensely. The reaction is disproportionate. It feels personal. That anger is not about the issue at hand. It is about identity, feeling attacked.

For example, if someone says, “Maybe you could have handled that differently,” and the response is, “So now you’re saying I’m incompetent?” — that leap is ego protecting itself. क्रोध often hides insecurity. It is easier to become angry than to feel vulnerable.

What Does “माम आत्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तः” Really Mean?

Literally, it means: “They hate Me (the Divine) dwelling in their own body and in the bodies of others.”

Now this is not about religious hatred. Krishna is pointing to something deeper.

When a person is fully controlled by ego, they lose the ability to see:

• the same consciousness in others
• shared humanity
• sacredness of life
• interconnectedness

In simple terms: They stop respecting the life force in themselves and others.

अभ्यसूयकाः — The Habit of Envy and Fault-Finding

The word अभ्यसूयकाः refers to someone envious and constantly looking for faults in others. This is not occasional jealousy — it is a pattern of comparison that becomes part of one’s personality.

For example, when a colleague succeeds, instead of feeling genuinely happy, a person may think, “They just got lucky,” or “It’s not that big of a deal.” Diminishing others becomes a way to protect one’s own ego. In relationships, this can look like constant criticism — nothing the other person does ever feels good enough.

Jealousy often arises from an insecure ego. When self-worth depends on being superior, someone else’s success feels threatening. Fault-finding then becomes a defence mechanism — a way to restore internal balance without facing insecurity.

Krishna includes अभ्यसूयकाः to show that when the ego dominates, appreciation disappears. And when appreciation disappears, envy quietly takes its place.

Taking Shelter in These Qualities

The verse uses the word संश्रिताः — meaning “taking refuge in.” This is important. It does not say these traits appear occasionally. It says the person depends on them. Their identity becomes built on ego, dominance, craving, and anger. Without these, they feel unstable. Imagine someone who only feels powerful when they control others. If control is removed, they feel lost. That is what it means to take shelter in the ego.

Losing Empathy and Becoming Critical

The verse then says such a person fails to see the divine in themselves and others. In practical terms, they lose empathy.

They may hurt someone and say, “You’re too sensitive.”
They may dismiss someone’s success out of jealousy.
They may constantly find faults because comparison fuels their identity.

This is where अभ्यसूया (jealousy and fault-finding) enters. When ego dominates, compassion decreases. And when compassion decreases, peace disappears. Krishna is not condemning people. He is warning about a pattern.

When अहङ्कार becomes central, Apologies become rare. Listening becomes difficult. Relationships become transactional. Peace becomes fragile.

The tragedy is that the ego-driven person often does not realise what is happening. They believe they are strong. In reality, they are reacting. This verse is not for judging others. It is for self-reflection. We all have moments of अहङ्कार.
The question is — does it guide us, or do we guide it?