← All chapters
Chapter 16

दैवासुरसम्पद्विभागयोग

Divine and Demonic Traits (Daivāsurasampadvibhāgayoga)

Krishna lists the divine qualities that lead to freedom, such as fearlessness, honesty, non-violence and forgiveness, and the harmful traits that bind, such as arrogance, anger and harshness. He warns that desire, anger and greed are three gates that lead to ruin.

Character is built one quality at a time; guard against desire, anger and greed.

  1. 16.1अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिः ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः।Krishna begins describing the divine qualities to Arjuna: fearlessness, a clean and sincere heart, steady commitment to knowledge and spiritual practice, generosity, self-control, worship through offering, study of sacred texts, disciplined effort, and straightforwardness.
  2. 16.2अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम्।He continues: not harming others, truthfulness, freedom from anger, letting go, inner calm, not speaking ill of others behind their backs, kindness to all beings, freedom from greed, gentleness, a healthy sense of shame at wrongdoing, and steadiness of mind.
  3. 16.3तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता।Radiance of spirit, forgiveness, firm resolve, purity, freedom from malice, and the absence of excessive pride: Krishna tells Arjuna, descendant of Bharata, that these belong to a person born with the divine nature.
  4. 16.4दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च।Then Krishna names the opposite set, the demonic (ungodly) qualities: putting on a show, arrogance, inflated self-importance, anger, harshness, and ignorance. These, Arjuna, mark a person born with that nature.
  5. 16.5दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता।The divine qualities lead to freedom, while the demonic ones lead to bondage. Krishna reassures Arjuna: do not worry, son of Pandu, you are born with the divine qualities.
  6. 16.6द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च।Krishna says there are two kinds of beings in this world, the divine and the demonic. He has described the divine at length; now he asks Arjuna to hear about the demonic.
  7. 16.7प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः।People of demonic nature do not understand what should be taken up and what should be avoided. Neither cleanliness, nor good conduct, nor truthfulness is found in them.
  8. 16.8असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम्।Krishna says such people claim the world has no truth, no firm foundation and no guiding Lord; that it came about without any ordered cause, and that desire alone is what drives it.
  9. 16.9एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः।Holding on to this view, these lost souls of small understanding commit cruel deeds. They rise as enemies of the world, working toward its ruin.
  10. 16.10काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः।Clinging to desires that can never be satisfied, full of hypocrisy, pride and arrogance, they grab hold of false ideas out of confusion and go about their work with impure intentions.
  11. 16.11चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः।They are gripped by endless worries that last until death. Treating the enjoyment of desires as the highest goal, they are convinced that this is all there is to life.
  12. 16.12आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः।Tied down by hundreds of ropes of expectation and ruled by desire and anger, they try to pile up wealth by unfair means just to satisfy their cravings.
  13. 16.13इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम्।Such a person thinks: 'Today I gained this, and I will fulfil that wish next. This wealth is mine already, and more will be mine soon.'
  14. 16.14असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि।He goes on: 'I have defeated that enemy, and I will defeat the others too. I am the master, I enjoy everything, I am successful, powerful and happy.'
  15. 16.15आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया।'I am rich and from a noble family. Who else is equal to me? I will perform rituals, I will give charity, I will celebrate.' Krishna says such people speak this way, deluded by ignorance.
  16. 16.16अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः।Pulled in many directions by restless thoughts, caught in a net of delusion and addicted to sensual pleasures, they fall into a foul hell.
  17. 16.17आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः।Full of self-importance and stubbornness, intoxicated by wealth and status, they perform worship only in name, for show, without following its proper way.
  18. 16.18अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः।Relying on ego, force, arrogance, desire and anger, these envious people hate me, Krishna says, the very presence that lives in their own bodies and in others.
  19. 16.19तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान्।Krishna says that those who are hateful and cruel, the lowest of people and given to harm, he casts again and again into demonic births within the cycle of worldly life.
  20. 16.20असुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि।Born into these demonic conditions life after life, the deluded never reach Krishna. Instead, son of Kunti, they sink to an even lower state.
  21. 16.21त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः।Krishna names three gates to hell that bring about one's own ruin: desire, anger and greed. Therefore, he says, one should give up all three.
  22. 16.22एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः।A person freed from these three gates of darkness, son of Kunti, does what is truly good for their own self, and so reaches the highest goal.
  23. 16.23यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः।Whoever sets aside the guidance of scripture and acts on mere whim gains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the highest goal.
  24. 16.24तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ।Krishna concludes: so let scripture be your guide in deciding what should and should not be done. Knowing what it teaches, you should do your work here in this world.