What happens when someone adopts the philosophy described in the previous shloka? Krishna spells it out. They become nashtatmanah — lost souls. The word is striking. It does not mean the soul is literally destroyed, but that these people have lost all connection with their true self. A lamp covered in thick soot still has a flame, but its light cannot reach anyone.
Their intellect narrows — alpabuddhayah. They can only see their own desires and nothing beyond. From this narrow, disconnected state, they become performers of ugra karma — cruel and violent acts. Oppression, exploitation, harm to others — all of it follows naturally.
And the result? Kshayaya jagatah — the destruction of the world. These are not people whose damage stays contained. Their actions ripple outward, harming families, communities, and the fabric of society itself. Krishna calls them ahitah — enemies of the world.