Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16

“Embracing the Divine Within: The Virtues and Vices Explored in the Bhagavad Gita”

In Chapter 16 of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna elucidates the stark contrast between the divine and the demoniac natures. He describes the virtues that lead to spiritual evolution, such as humility, compassion, and truthfulness, which align one with the divine. Conversely, he warns against qualities like arrogance, cruelty, and delusion, which bind individuals to materialistic pursuits and hinder their spiritual growth. This chapter serves as a profound reflection on the choices we make and their impact on our journey towards self-realization.

तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो

 नातिमानिता।

 भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत ॥ ३॥

tejah kshamaa dhritih shauchamadroho naatimaanitaa

bhavanti sampadam daiveem abhijaatasya bhaarata

Sublimity, forbearance, fortitude, external purity, bearing enmity to none and absence of self-esteem—these are the marks of him, who is born with the divine endowments, Arjuna. (3)

 दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च।

 अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम्॥ ४॥

dambho darpo’bhimaanashcha krodhah paarushyameva cha

ajnaanam chaabhijaatasya paartha sampadamaasureem

Hypocrisy, arrogance pride and anger, sternness and ignorance too-these are the marks of him, who is born with demoniac properties(4)

 दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता।

 मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव॥५॥

daivee sampadvimokshaaya nibhandhaayaasuree mataa

maa shuchah sampadam daiveem abhijaato’si paandava

The divine endowment has been recognized as conducive to liberation, and the demoniac one as leading to bondage. Grieve not, Arjuna, for you are born with the divine propensities. (5)

द्वौ भूतसर्गों लोकेऽस्मिन्दैव आसुर एव च।

 दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु॥ ६॥

dwau bhootasargau loke’smin daiva aasura eva cha

daivo vistarashah proktah aasuram paartha me shrinu

There are only two types of men in this world, Arjuna, the one possessing a divine nature and the other possessing a demoniac disposition. Of these, the type possessing divine nature has been dealt with at length; now hear in detail from Me about the type possessing demoniac disposition.(6)

 प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः।

 न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते ॥ ७ ॥

pravrittim cha nivrittim cha janaa na viduraasurah

na shaucham naapi chaachaaro na satyam teshu vidyate

Men possessing a demoniac disposition know not what is right activity and what is right abstinence from activity. Hence they possess neither purity (external or internal) nor good conduct nor even truthfulness.(7)

 असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम्।

 अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम्॥ ८ ॥

asatyamapratishtham te jagadaahuraneeshwaram

aparasparasambhootam kimanyat kaamahaitukam

Men of demoniac disposition say this world is without any foundation, absolutely unreal and godless, brought forth by mutual union of the male and female and hence conceived in lust; what else than this (8)

एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः।

 प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः॥ ९ ॥

etaam drishtimavashtabhya nashtaatmaano’lpabuddhayah

prabhavantyugrakarmaanah kshayaaya jagato’hitaah

Clinging to this false view these slow-witted men of vile disposition and terrible deeds, are wrong doers to mankind for the destruction of the world.(9)

 काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः।  मोहाद्गृहीत्वासद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः ॥१०॥

kaamamaashritya dushpooram dambhamaanamadaanvitaah

mohaadgriheetvaasadgraahaan pravartante shuchivrataah

Cherishing insatiable desires and embracing false doctrines through ignorance, these men of impure conduct move in this world, full of hypocrisy, pride and arrogance.(10)

 चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः।

 कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति

निश्चिताः॥११॥

chintaamaparimeyaam cha pralayaantaamupaashritaah

kaamopabhogaparamaa etaavaditi nishchitaah

Giving themselves up to innumerable cares ending only with death, they remain devoted to the enjoyment of sensuous pleasures and are firm in their belief that this is the highest limit of joy.(11)

आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः।

 ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान्॥१२॥

aashaapaashatairbaddhaah kaamakrodhaparaayanaah

eehante kaamabhogaartha manyaayenaarthasanchayaan

Held in bondage by hundreds of ties of expectation and wholly giving themselves up to lust and anger, they strive to amass by unfair means hoards of money and other objects for the enjoyment of sensuous pleasures. (12)

 इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम्।

 इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम्॥१३॥

idamadya mayaa labdhamimam praapsye manoratham

idamasteedamapi me bhavishyati punardhanam

They say to themselves, “This much has been secured by me today and now I shall realize this ambition. So much wealth is already with me and yet again this shall be mine.(13)

 असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि।

 ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी॥१४॥

asau mayaa hatah shatrur hanishye chaaparaanapi

eeshwarohamaham bhogee siddhoham balavaan sukhee

That enemy has been slain by me and I shall kill those others too. I am the lord of all, the enjoyer of all power, I am endowed with all occult powers, and am mighty and happy. (14)

आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया।

 यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः॥१५॥

 अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः।

 प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति

नरकेऽशुचौ॥१६॥

aadhyobhijanavaanasmi konyosti sadrisho mayaa

yakshye daasyaami modishya ityajnaanavimohitaah

anekachittavibhraantaah mohajaalasamaavritaah

prasaktaah kaamabhogeshu patanti narake’shuchau

“I am wealthy and own a large family; who else is equal to me? I will sacrifice to gods, will give alms, I will make merry,” Thus deluded by ignorance, enveloped in the mesh of delusion and addicted to the enjoyment of sensuous pleasures, their minds bewildered by numerous thoughts, these men of devilish disposition fall into the foulest hell. (15-16)

 आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः।

 यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्॥१७॥

aatmasambhaavitaah stabdhaa dhanamaanamadaanvitaah

yajante naamayajnaiste dambhenaavidhipoorvakam

Intoxicated by wealth and honour, those self-conceited and haughty men perform sacrifices only in name for ostentation, without following the sacred rituals.(17)

अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः।

 मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः॥१८॥

ahankaaram balam darpam kaamam krodham cha samshritaah

mam aatmaparadeheshu pradwishanto’bhyasooyakaah

Given over to egotism, brute force, arrogance, lust and anger etc., and calumniating others, they despise Me (the in-dweller), dwelling in their own bodies as well as in those of others.(18)

 तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान्।

 क्षिपाम्यजत्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु॥१९॥

taanaham dwishatah krooraan samsaareshu naraadhamaan

kshipaamyajastram ashubhaan aasureeshweva yonishu

Those haters, sinful, cruel and vilest among men, I cast again and again into demoniacal wombs in this world.(19)

 आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि।

 मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम्॥२०॥

aasureem yonimaapannaa moodhaa janmani janmani

maamapraapyaiva kaunteya tato yaantyadhamaam gatim

Failing to reach Me, Arjuna, those stupid souls are born life after life in demoniac wombs and then verily sink down to a still lower plane.(20)

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः।

 कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत्॥२१॥

trividham narakasyedam dwaaram naashanamaatmanah

kaamah krodhastathaa lobhastasmaadetattrayam tyajet

Desire, anger and greed—these triple gates of hell, bring about the downfall of the soul. Therefore, one should shun all these three.(21)

 एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः।

 आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम्॥२२॥

etairvimuktah kaunteya tamodwaaraistribhirnarah

aacharatyaatmanah shreyas tato yaati paraam gatim

Freed from these three gates of hell, man works for his own salvation and thereby attains the supreme goal, i.e., God.(22)

यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः।

 न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोतिe न सुखं न परां गतिम्॥२३॥

yah shaastravidhimutsrijya vartate kaamakaaratah

na sa siddhimavaapnoti na sukham na paraam gatim

Discarding the injunctions of the scriptures, he who acts in an arbitrary way according to his own sweet will, such a person neither attains perfection, nor the supreme goal, nor even happiness.(23)

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ।

 ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि ॥२४॥

tasmaat shaastram pramaanam te kaaryaakaaryavyavasthitau

jnaatwaa shaastra vidhaanoktam karma kartumihaarhasi

Therefore, the scripture alone is your guide in determining what should be done and what should not be done. Knowing this, you ought to perform only such action as is ordained by the scriptures.(24)

 ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु

 ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे

 दैवासुरसम्पद्विभागयोगो नाम षोडशोऽध्यायः॥१६॥

om tat sat iti srimadbhagavadgeetaasu upanishatsu

brahma vidyaayaam yogashaastre sri krishnaarjuna samvaade

daivaasura sampad vibhhaaga yogo naama shodasho’dhyaayah ||

Thus, in the Upanisad sung by the Lord, the Science of Brahma, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krsna and Arjuna, ends the sixteenth chapter entitled “The Yoga of Division between the Divine and the Demoniacal Properties.”