Chapter 16 · Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures

16.1

श्रीभगवानुवाच | अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः | दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ||१६-१||

śrībhagavānuvāca . abhayaṃ sattvasaṃśuddhirjñānayogavyavasthitiḥ . dānaṃ damaśca yajñaśca svādhyāyastapa ārjavam ||16-1||

Krishna says that the qualities of a divine nature include fearlessness, a pure heart, and a firm commitment to spiritual growth through self-discipline and wisdom. These qualities also encompass generosity, self-control, a willingness to sacrifice for the greater good, a dedication to spiritual study, and a simple, straightforward way of living.

16.2

अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम् | दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ||१६-२||

ahiṃsā satyamakrodhastyāgaḥ śāntirapaiśunam . dayā bhūteṣvaloluptvaṃ mārdavaṃ hrīracāpalam ||16-2||

Living without harming others, being truthful, letting go of anger, and renouncing selfish desires are key. Embracing peacefulness, honesty, and compassion for all beings, while being free from greed and staying humble and consistent, are also essential. These qualities, including gentleness and modesty, form the foundation of a noble character.

16.3

तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता | भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत ||१६-३||

tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucamadroho nātimānitā . bhavanti sampadaṃ daivīmabhijātasya bhārata ||16-3||

People born for a divine purpose, like you, Arjuna, typically have qualities like inner strength, a forgiving heart, courage, a pure spirit, and a lack of malice or excessive pride.

16.4

दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च | अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम् ||१६-४||

dambho darpo.abhimānaśca krodhaḥ pāruṣyameva ca . ajñānaṃ cābhijātasya pārtha sampadamāsurīm ||16-4||

People born with a demonic nature, Arjuna, are marked by traits like hypocrisy, arrogance, and anger, as well as harsh behavior and a lack of awareness.

16.5

दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता | मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव ||१६-५||

daivī sampadvimokṣāya nibandhāyāsurī matā . mā śucaḥ sampadaṃ daivīmabhijāto.asi pāṇḍava ||16-5||

The divine qualities lead to freedom, while the demonic ones lead to entrapment. Don't worry, Arjuna, you have a noble nature, born with qualities that are truly divine.

16.6

द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन्दैव आसुर एव च | दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु ||१६-६||

dvau bhūtasargau loke.asmindaiva āsura eva ca . daivo vistaraśaḥ prokta āsuraṃ pārtha me śṛṇu ||16-6||

In this world, there are two kinds of natures, the divine and the demonic. I've already explained the divine nature in detail, Arjuna, now listen as I describe the demonic one.

16.7

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः | न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते ||१६-७||

pravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ ca janā na vidurāsurāḥ . na śaucaṃ nāpi cācāro na satyaṃ teṣu vidyate ||16-7||

The demonic nature doesn't grasp what actions to take or avoid, and they lack any sense of purity, moral behavior, or truth, leaving them without a moral foundation to guide their lives.

16.8

असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम् | अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम् ||१६-८||

asatyamapratiṣṭhaṃ te jagadāhuranīśvaram . aparasparasambhūtaṃ kimanyatkāmahaitukam ||16-8||

They claim that the world is without foundation or truth, and that it has no guiding principle or divine presence, instead arising from desire-driven interactions, with no higher purpose beyond fleeting pleasures.

16.9

एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः | प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः ||१६-९||

etāṃ dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmāno.alpabuddhayaḥ . prabhavantyugrakarmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagato.ahitāḥ ||16-9||

With this twisted mindset, people of limited understanding and violent tendencies emerge, bringing harm to the world and working towards its downfall. They are a threat to humanity, driven by destructive intentions. Their actions are brutal and their presence is detrimental to the world's well-being.

16.10

काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः | मोहाद्गृहीत्वासद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः ||१६-१०||

kāmamāśritya duṣpūraṃ dambhamānamadānvitāḥ . mohādgṛhītvāsadgrāhānpravartante.aśucivratāḥ ||16-10||

Driven by unrelenting desires, they're consumed by hypocrisy, ego, and arrogance, clinging to misguided notions due to their deluded state, and they act with impure intentions, pursuing their own selfish and unwholesome goals.

16.11

चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः | कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्चिताः ||१६-११||

cintāmaparimeyāṃ ca pralayāntāmupāśritāḥ . kāmopabhogaparamā etāvaditi niścitāḥ ||16-11||

Completely absorbed in endless worries that only cease with death, they're convinced that indulging their desires is the ultimate goal, and they can't see beyond that.

16.12

आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः | ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान् ||१६-१२||

āśāpāśaśatairbaddhāḥ kāmakrodhaparāyaṇāḥ . īhante kāmabhogārthamanyāyenārthasañcayān ||16-12||

Driven by countless desires and consumed by lust and anger, they relentlessly pursue wealth and sensual pleasures through unfair means, accumulating riches to indulge their cravings.

16.13

इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम् | इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम् ||१६-१३||

idamadya mayā labdhamimaṃ prāpsye manoratham . idamastīdamapi me bhaviṣyati punardhanam ||16-13||

I've got what I wanted today, and I'll get what I'm craving next, this wealth is already mine, and I'll have even more soon.

16.14

असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि | ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी ||१६-१४||

asau mayā hataḥ śatrurhaniṣye cāparānapi . īśvaro.ahamahaṃ bhogī siddho.ahaṃ balavānsukhī ||16-14||

I've already defeated one enemy and I'll defeat the others too, because I'm the one in control, I'm the one who gets to enjoy the rewards, and I'm strong, perfect, and content.

16.15

आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया | यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः ||१६-१५||

āḍhyo.abhijanavānasmi ko.anyo.asti sadṛśo mayā . yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya ityajñānavimohitāḥ ||16-15||

I'm wealthy and come from a noble family, so who can compare to me? I'll make offerings, give generously, and indulge in pleasures, say those who are misled by their own ignorance.

16.16

अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः | प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ ||१६-१६||

anekacittavibhrāntā mohajālasamāvṛtāḥ . prasaktāḥ kāmabhogeṣu patanti narake.aśucau ||16-16||

Completely confused by their numerous conflicting thoughts, they're trapped in a web of illusions, and their obsession with sensual pleasures leads them to plummet into a dark and filthy abyss.

16.17

आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः | यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम् ||१६-१७||

ātmasambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhanamānamadānvitāḥ . yajante nāmayajñaiste dambhenāvidhipūrvakam ||16-17||

Filled with self-importance and stubbornness, they're consumed by their wealth and ego, using rituals as a way to show off, ignoring the traditional guidelines and doing everything for appearance's sake.

16.18

अहंकारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः | मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः ||१६-१८||

ahaṃkāraṃ balaṃ darpaṃ kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca saṃśritāḥ . māmātmaparadeheṣu pradviṣanto.abhyasūyakāḥ ||16-18||

Consumed by their own ego, driven by a desire for power and control, and dominated by lust and anger, these individuals harbor hatred for me, not just in others, but even within themselves, failing to recognize my presence in every being.

16.19

तानहं द्विषतः क्रुरान्संसारेषु नराधमान् | क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु ||१६-१९||

tānahaṃ dviṣataḥ krurānsaṃsāreṣu narādhamān . kṣipāmyajasramaśubhānāsurīṣveva yoniṣu ||16-19||

I cast those who hate me, the cruelest and most despicable of humans, into a cycle of rebirth, trapping them in demonic existences, where they'll be consumed by darkness and suffering.

16.20

आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि | मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम् ||१६-२०||

āsurīṃ yonimāpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani . māmaprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yāntyadhamāṃ gatim ||16-20||

Trapped in darkness, these individuals are reborn time and again, lost in confusion, and because they never find their way to me, Arjuna, they sink to even deeper levels of existence.

16.21

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः | कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् ||१६-२१||

trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ . kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet ||16-21||

There are three paths that lead to spiritual destruction: desire, anger, and greed. These destructive tendencies can ruin a person's life, so it's essential to let go of them. By releasing lust, anger, and greed, one can avoid the downward spiral that harms the self.

16.22

एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः | आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम् ||१६-२२||

etairvimuktaḥ kaunteya tamodvāraistribhirnaraḥ . ācaratyātmanaḥ śreyastato yāti parāṃ gatim ||16-22||

Free from these three pathways to darkness, a person can live in a way that truly benefits them, and ultimately attain the highest state, Arjuna.

16.23

यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः | न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ||१६-२३||

yaḥ śāstravidhimutsṛjya vartate kāmakārataḥ . na sa siddhimavāpnoti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim ||16-23||

When someone disregards the guidance of the scriptures and acts solely based on their desires, they won't achieve true fulfillment, happiness, or spiritual liberation. They'll miss out on the ultimate goal. By rejecting the scriptures' wisdom, they're left with unfulfilled longings and no lasting peace.

16.24

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ | ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि ||१६-२४||

tasmācchāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ te kāryākāryavyavasthitau . jñātvā śāstravidhānoktaṃ karma kartumihārhasi ||16-24||

So consider the scriptures your guide to figure out what's right and wrong to do. Once you understand what the scriptures teach, you should use that knowledge to guide your actions in this world.