Sārathi

Chapter 16 of 18

दैवासुरसम्पद्विभागयोग Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga

Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures. 24 verses.

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About this chapter

The sixteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga". In this chapter, Krishna describes explicitly the two kinds of natures among human beings - divine and demoniac. Those who possess demonaic qualities associate themselves with the modes of passion and ignorance do not follow the regulations of the scriptures and embrace materialistic views. These people attain lower births and further material bondage. But people who possess divine qualities, follow the instructions of the scriptures, associate themselves with the mode of goodness and purify the mind through spiritual practices. This leads to the enhancement of divine qualities and they eventually attain spiritual realization.

  1. 16.1अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिः ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः।abhayaṁ sattva-sanśhuddhir jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥThe Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and yoga, almsgiving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity…
  2. 16.2अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम्।ahinsā satyam akrodhas tyāgaḥ śhāntir apaiśhunamHarmlessness, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion for beings, non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, and absence of…
  3. 16.3तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता।tejaḥ kṣhamā dhṛitiḥ śhaucham adroho nāti-mānitāVigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, absence of pride—these belong to one born for a divine state, O Arjuna.
  4. 16.4दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च।dambho darpo ’bhimānaśh cha krodhaḥ pāruṣhyam eva chaHypocrisy, arrogance, and self-conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance—these belong to one who is born for a demoniacal state, O Partha.
  5. 16.5दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता।daivī sampad vimokṣhāya nibandhāyāsurī matāThe divine nature is deemed conducive to liberation, and the demonic to bondage. Grieve not, O Arjuna, for you are born with divine endowments.
  6. 16.6द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च।dvau bhūta-sargau loke ’smin daiva āsura eva chaThere are two types of beings in this world: the divine and the demoniacal. The divine has been described at length; hear from Me, O Arjuna, about the demoniacal.
  7. 16.7प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः।pravṛittiṁ cha nivṛittiṁ cha janā na vidur āsurāḥThe demoniacal do not know what to do and what to refrain from; they have neither purity, nor right conduct, nor truth.
  8. 16.8असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम्।asatyam apratiṣhṭhaṁ te jagad āhur anīśhvaramThey say, "This universe is without truth, without a moral basis, without a God, brought about by mutual union, with lust as its cause; what else?"
  9. 16.9एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः।etāṁ dṛiṣhṭim avaṣhṭabhya naṣhṭātmāno ’lpa-buddhayaḥHolding this view, these ruined souls of small intellect and fierce deeds come forth as enemies of the world, intent on its destruction.
  10. 16.10काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः।kāmam āśhritya duṣhpūraṁ dambha-māna-madānvitāḥFilled with insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, holding evil ideas due to delusion, they work with impure intentions.
  11. 16.11चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः।chintām aparimeyāṁ cha pralayāntām upāśhritāḥGiving themselves over to immeasurable cares that end only with death, regarding the gratification of lust as their highest aim, and feeling sure that that is all.
  12. 16.12आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः।āśhā-pāśha-śhatair baddhāḥ kāma-krodha-parāyaṇāḥBound by a hundred ties of hope, given over to lust and anger, they strive to obtain hoards of wealth by unlawful means for sensual enjoyment.
  13. 16.13इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम्।idam adya mayā labdham imaṁ prāpsye manoratham"I have gained this today; I will fulfill this desire of mine; this is mine, and this wealth will be mine in the future."
  14. 16.14असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि।asau mayā hataḥ śhatrur haniṣhye chāparān api"I have slain that enemy, and I shall slay others too. I am the Lord; I enjoy, I am perfect, powerful, and happy."
  15. 16.15आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया।āḍhyo ’bhijanavān asmi ko ’nyo ’sti sadṛiśho mayā"I am wealthy and born into a noble family. Who is my equal? I shall perform sacrifices, give charity, and rejoice," thus deluded by ignorance.
  16. 16.16अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः।aneka-citta-vibhrāntā moha-jāla-samāvṛtāḥ prasaktāḥ kāma-bhogeṣu patanti narake 'śucauBewildered by many fancies, entangled in the snare of delusion, addicted to the gratification of lust, they fall into a foul hell.
  17. 16.17आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः।ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhana-māna-madānvitāḥSelf-conceited, stubborn, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform sacrifices in name only for ostentation, contrary to scriptural ordinances.
  18. 16.18अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः।ahankāraṁ balaṁ darpaṁ kāmaṁ krodhaṁ cha sanśhritāḥGiven over to egoism, power, haughtiness, lust, and anger, these malicious people hate Me in their own bodies and in the bodies of others.
  19. 16.19तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान्।tān ahaṁ dviṣhataḥ krūrān sansāreṣhu narādhamānThose cruel haters, the worst among men in the world, I hurl those evil-doers into the wombs of demons only.
  20. 16.20असुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि।āsurīṁ yonim āpannā mūḍhā janmani janmaniEntering into demoniacal wombs and deluded, birth after birth, they do not attain Me, thus falling, O Arjuna, into a condition still lower than that.
  21. 16.21त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः।tri-vidhaṁ narakasyedaṁ dvāraṁ nāśhanam ātmanaḥThere are three gates to this hell, destructive of the self: lust, anger, and greed; therefore, one should abandon these three.
  22. 16.22एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः।etair vimuktaḥ kaunteya tamo-dvārais tribhir naraḥA person who is liberated from these three gates of darkness, O Arjuna, practices what is beneficial for them and thus goes to the Supreme Goal.
  23. 16.23यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः।yaḥ śhāstra-vidhim utsṛijya vartate kāma-kārataḥHe who, having cast aside the ordinances of the scriptures, acts under the impulse of desire, does not attain perfection, nor happiness, nor the Supreme Goal.
  24. 16.24तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ।tasmāch chhāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te kāryākārya-vyavasthitauTherefore, let the scripture be thy authority in determining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done. Having known what is said in the ordinance of the…