CHAPTER SIXTEEN
DAIVĀSURA-SAMPAD-VIBHĀGA-YOGA
THE DIVINE AND DEMONIC QUALITIES
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VERSES 1-6: QUALITIES OF THE RIGHTEOUS
16.1
Lord Kṛṣṇa says:
Fearlessness, purity of heart, the steadfast pursuit of knowledge, charity, self-control, worship, study of Vedas; austerity;
śrī bhagavān uvāca
abhayaṁ sattva saṁśuddhiḥ jñāna yoga vyavasthitiḥ |
dānaṁ damaśca yajñāśca svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam ||
16.2
Honesty, refraining from harm, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquillity, freedom from fault finding, compassion to all beings, freedom from greed, kindness, modesty, never wavering;
ahiṁsā satyam akrodhas tyāgaḥ śāntir apaiśunam |
dayā bhūteṣv-aloluptvaṁ mārdavaṁ hrīr acāpalam ||
16.3
Energy, patience, fortitude, purity, freedom from malice and humility – these qualities, O Arjuna, belong to saintly men endowed with a divine nature.
tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucam adroho nātimānitā |
bhavanti sampadaṁ daivīṁ abhijātasya bhārata ||
16.4
Hypocrisy, pride, anger, rudeness and ignorance, O Arjuna, belong to one who possesses a demonic nature.
dambho darpo’bhimānaśca krodhaḥ pāruṣyam eva ca |
ajñānaṁ cābhijātasya pārtha sampadam āsurīm ||
16.5
Those who have these divine qualities attain liberation, whereas those demonic qualities are a source of bondage. Do not worry, O Arjuna, for you have been born with divine qualities.
daivī sampad vimokṣāya nibandhāyāsurī matā |
mā śucaḥ sampadaṁ daivīm abhijāto’si pāṇḍava ||
16.6
There are two types of beings that have been produced in this world — the divine and the demonic. So far, the qualities of the divine have been described at length, now hear from Me, O Arjuna, about the demonic.
dvau bhūta sargau loke ’smin daiva āsura eva ca |
daivo vistaraśaḥ proktaḥ āsuraṁ pārtha me śṛṇu ||
VERSES 7-20: QUALITIES OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS
16.7
Asuric individuals know nothing about right action nor what to refrain from. Neither purity, truthfulness, nor right conduct can be found in them.
pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca janā na vidurāsurāḥ |
na śaucaṁ nāpi cācāro na satyaṁ teṣu vidyate ||
16.8
Such people say that this universe is unreal, without any foundation and without any Lord. They say this has all come into being without any cause. It has simply been brought about by sexual desire, with sensual gratification being the only reason for it.
asatyam apratiṣṭhaṁ te jagad-āhur anīśvaram |
aparaspara sambhūtaṁ kim anyat kāma haitukam ||
16.9
Those who have ruined themselves, and have little intelligence, hold these views. Hostile to all, they perform cruel deeds and bring destruction to the world.
etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmāno’lpa buddhayaḥ |
prabhavanty-ugra karmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagato’hitāḥ ||
16.10
Filled with insatiable desires, due to delusion, they stubbornly hold to false ideas. They act with insincere intentions based on deceit, pride and passion.
kāmam āśritya duṣpūraṁ dambha māna madānvitāḥ |
mohād gṛhītvāsadgrahān pravartante ‘śuci-vratāḥ ||
16.11
They chase limitless desires thinking that this is all there is, as a result they face endless anxieties right up to the point of death.
cintām aparimeyāṁ ca pralayāntām upāśritāḥ |
kāmopabhoga paramā etāvad iti niścitāḥ ||
16.12
Bound by hundreds of worries and a mesh of illusion, ruled by desire and anger, they gather wealth through unjust means to fulfil their desires.
āśā-pāśa śatair baddhāḥ kāma krodha parāyaṇāḥ |
īhante kāma bhogārtham anyāyenārtha sañcayān ||
16.13
Deluded by ignorance, such people declare, “I have gained this today, and I will gain more to meet my desires. This wealth is mine, and much more will be mine in the future.”
idam-adya mayā labdham imaṁ prāpsyase manoratham |
idam astīdam api me bhaviṣyati punar dhanam ||
16.14
“This enemy is slain by me, and I shall kill the others. I am the lord, I am the enjoyer, I am successful, powerful and happy.”
asau mayā hataḥ śatrur haniṣye cāparān api |
īśvaro’ham ahaṁ bhogī siddho’haṁ balavān sukhī ||
16.15
“I am wealthy and of noble birth; who else can equal me? I will perform sacrifices, I will give charity, I will rejoice!”
āḍhyo’bhijanavān asmi ko’nyosti sadṛśo mayā |
yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya ityajñāna vimohitāḥ ||
16.16
Bewildered by so many fantasies, caught by the net of delusion and addicted to sensual enjoyments, they fall down into hell.
anekacitta vibhrāntāḥ moha-jāla-samāvṛtāḥ |
prasaktāḥ kāma bhogeṣu patanti narake’śucau ||
16.17
Being utterly self-centred, stubborn, intoxicated with pride, wealth and passion, they insincerely perform sacrifices in name only, deviating from the prescribed way.
ātma-saṁbhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhana-māna-madānvitāḥ |
yajante nāma yajñāis-te daṁbhenāvidhi pūrvakam ||
16.18
Overcome with ego, power, pride, desire and anger, these demonic people hate and envy Me, the one who is present in their own bodies and those of others.
ahaṅkāraṁ balaṁ darpaṁ kāmaṁ krodhaṁ ca saṁśritāḥ |
mām-ātma para-deheṣu pradviṣanto’bhyasūyakāḥ ||
16.19
These wicked people are filled with hatred and are the worst of humankind. Within this cycle of birth and death, I continuously cast them into the wombs of demonic beings.
tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān saṁsāreṣu narādhamān |
kṣipāmy-ajasram aśubhān āsurīṣveva yoniṣu ||
16.20
Life after life, these fools exist among demonic beings and never attain Me, O Arjuna, and so they attain the lowest state of existence.
āsurīṁ yonim āpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani |
mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yānty-adhamāṁ gatim ||
VERSE 21: THE THREE GATEWAYS TO HELL
16.21
There are three gateways to this hell: desire, anger and greed. Therefore, one should abandon them as they bring ruin to the soul.
trividhaṁ narakasyedaṁ dvāraṁ nāśanam ātmanaḥ |
kāmaḥ krodhas tathā lobhas tasmād etat trayaṁ tyajet ||
VERSES 22-24: THE IMPORTANCE OF SCRIPTURE
16.22
One who has been liberated from these three gates of darkness, O Arjuna, will do what is beneficial to the Self and hence one reaches that Supreme Abode.
etair vimuktaḥ kaunteya tamo dvārais tribhir naraḥ |
ācaraty-ātmanaḥ śreyas tato yāti parāṁ gatim ||
16.23
Whoever disregards the principles of the scriptures and acts under the influence of their personal desire, can never attain perfection, happiness, or the Supreme Abode.
yaḥ śāstra vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma kārataḥ |
na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim ||
16.24
Therefore, let the scriptures be your authority for determining what should and should not be done. Having learnt what they have instructed, you can perform your duty.
tasmāt śāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te kāryākārya vyavasthitau |
jñātvā śāstra vidhān-oktaṁ karma kartum ihārhasi ||
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