Chapter XVI · Śloka 9
एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः ।
प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः ॥
प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः ॥
etāṃ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmāno 'lpabuddhayaḥ |
prabhavanty ugrakarmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagato 'hitāḥ ||
prabhavanty ugrakarmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagato 'hitāḥ ||
Clinging to this view — souls lost, of small intellect — they rise as enemies of the world, performing cruel deeds for its destruction.
Philosophical nihilism has practical consequences: those who hold that nothing is sacred feel licensed to commit any act. The phrase naṣṭātmānaḥ ('lost souls') is precise — their self is lost because they have confused the ego-body complex for the ātman.