Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā · Chapter 16 of 18
Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga — The Yoga of the Division Between Divine and Demonic Natures
दैवासुरसम्पद्विभागयोगः
Krishna describes two contrasting sets of inborn qualities. The divine qualities -- fearlessness, purity, self-control, truthfulness, compassion, and freedom from anger among them -- lead toward liberation, and Krishna reassures Arjuna that he is born with this nature. The demonic qualities -- hypocrisy, arrogance, and cruelty -- lead toward bondage. Krishna then paints a detailed, cautionary portrait of the demonic mindset: people who deny any moral order to the universe, chase insatiable desire, accumulate wealth by unjust means, and grow increasingly deluded about their own power and importance, ultimately reborn again and again into lower states. The chapter closes by naming desire, anger, and greed as the three gates to self-destruction, and urges that scripture, not impulse, should guide one's sense of right and wrong action.
- Verses
- 24
- Speakers
- Krishna
Verse by verse
Krishna
16.1
अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिः ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः। दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम्॥
abhayaṃ sattvasaṃśuddhiḥ jñānayogavyavasthitiḥ, dānaṃ damaśca yajñaśca svādhyāyastapa ārjavam.
हिन्दी अर्थ
श्रीभगवान् बोले -- भयका सर्वथा अभाव; अन्तःकरणकी शुद्धि; ज्ञानके लिये योगमें दृढ़ स्थिति; सात्त्विक दान; इन्द्रियोंका दमन; यज्ञ; स्वाध्याय; कर्तव्य-पालनके लिये कष्ट सहना; शरीर-मन-वाणीकी सरलता।
English
Lord Shri Krishna continued: Fearlessness, clean living, unceasing concentration on wisdom, readiness to give, self-control, a spirit of sacrifice, regular study of the scriptures, austerities, candour,
Krishna lists the first set of divine qualities: fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge, charity, self-control, sacrifice, scripture study, austerity, and honesty.
Krishna
16.2
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम्। दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम्॥
ahiṃsā satyamakrodhastyāgaḥ śāntirapaiśunam, dayā bhūteṣvaloluptvaṃ mārdavaṃ hrīracāpalam.
हिन्दी अर्थ
अहिंसा, सत्यभाषण; क्रोध न करना; संसारकी कामनाका त्याग; अन्तःकरणमें राग-द्वेषजनित हलचलका न होना; चुगली न करना; प्राणियोंपर दया करना सांसारिक विषयोंमें न ललचाना; अन्तःकरणकी कोमलता; अकर्तव्य करनेमें लज्जा; चपलताका अभाव।
English
harmlessness, truth, absence of wrath, renunciation, contentment, straightforwardness, compassion towards all, uncovetousness, courtesy, modesty, constancy,
More divine qualities: nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, peace, avoidance of gossip, compassion, non-greed, gentleness, modesty, and steadiness.
Krishna
16.3
तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता। भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत॥
tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucamadroho nātimānitā, bhavanti sampadaṃ daivīmabhijātasya bhārata.
हिन्दी अर्थ
तेज (प्रभाव), क्षमा, धैर्य, शरीरकी शुद्धि, वैरभावका न रहना और मानको न चाहना, हे भरतवंशी अर्जुन ! ये सभी दैवी सम्पदाको प्राप्त हुए मनुष्यके लक्षण हैं।
English
Valour, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, freedom from hate and vanity; these are his who possesses the Godly Qualities, O Arjuna!
Further divine qualities: vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from malice, and freedom from excessive pride -- these belong to one born with divine nature.
Krishna
16.4
दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च। अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम्॥
dambho darpo'bhimānaśca krodhaḥ pāruṣyameva ca, ajñānaṃ cābhijātasya pārtha sampadamāsurīm.
हिन्दी अर्थ
हे पृथानन्दन ! दम्भ करना, घमण्ड करना, अभिमान करना, क्रोध करना, कठोरता रखना और अविवेकका होना भी -- ये सभी आसुरीसम्पदाको प्राप्त हुए मनुष्यके लक्षण हैं।
English
Hypocrisy, pride, insolence, cruelty, ignorance belong to him who is born of the godless qualities.
Demonic qualities, by contrast, include hypocrisy, arrogance, excessive pride, harshness, anger, and ignorance.
Krishna
16.5
दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता। मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव॥
daivī sampadvimokṣāya nibandhāyāsurī matā, mā śucaḥ sampadaṃ daivīmabhijāto'si pāṇḍava.
हिन्दी अर्थ
दैवी-सम्पत्ति मुक्तिके लिये और आसुरी-सम्पत्ति बन्धनके लिये है। हे पाण्डव तुम दैवी-सम्पत्तिको प्राप्त हुए हो, इसलिये तुम्हें शोक (चिन्ता) नहीं करना चाहिये।
English
Godly qualities lead to liberation; godless to bondage. Do not be anxious, Prince! Thou hast the Godly qualities.
Divine qualities lead toward liberation, demonic qualities toward bondage; Krishna reassures Arjuna that he is born with the divine nature.
Krishna
16.6
द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च। दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे श्रृणु॥
dvau bhūtasargau loke'smin daiva āsura eva ca, daivo vistaraśaḥ prokta āsuraṃ pārtha me śrṛṇu.
हिन्दी अर्थ
इस लोकमें दो तरहके प्राणियोंकी सृष्टि है -- दैवी और आसुरी। दैवीका तो मैंने विस्तारसे वर्णन कर दिया, अब हे पार्थ ! तुम मेरेसे आसुरीका विस्तार सुनो।
English
All beings are of two classes: Godly and godless. The Godly I have described; I will now describe the other.
Krishna says there are two types of beings created in this world, the divine and the demonic; having described the divine at length, he will now describe the demonic.
Krishna
16.7
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः। न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते॥
pravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ ca janā na vidurāsurāḥ, na śaucaṃ nāpi cācāro na satyaṃ teṣu vidyate.
हिन्दी अर्थ
आसुरी प्रकृतिवाले मनुष्य प्रवृत्ति और निवृत्तिको नहीं जानते और उनमें न बाह्यशुद्धि, न श्रेष्ठ आचरण तथा न सत्य-पालन ही होता है।
English
The godless do not know how to act or how to renounce. They have neither purity nor truth. They do not understand the right principles of conduct.
Those of demonic nature do not understand right action or right restraint; they lack purity, proper conduct, and truthfulness.
Krishna
16.8
असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम्। अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम्॥
asatyamapratiṣṭhaṃ te jagadāhuranīśvaram, aparasparasambhūtaṃ kimanyatkāmahaitukam.
हिन्दी अर्थ
वे कहा करते हैं कि संसार असत्य, अप्रतिष्ठित और बिना ईश्वरके अपने-आप केवल स्त्री-पुरुषके संयोगसे पैदा हुआ है। इसलिये काम ही इसका कारण है, और कोई कारण नहीं है।
English
They say the universe is an accident with no purpose and no God. Life is created by sexual union, a product of lust and nothing else.
They claim the world is without truth, without a foundation, and without a governing God, born only of mutual desire, with no other cause.
Krishna
16.9
एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः। प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः॥
etāṃ dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmāno'lpabuddhayaḥ, prabhavantyugrakarmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagato'hitāḥ.
हिन्दी अर्थ
उपर्युक्त (नास्तिक) दृष्टिका आश्रय लेनेवाले जो मनुष्य अपने नित्य स्वरूपको नहीं मानते, जिनकी बुद्धि तुच्छ है, जो उग्रकर्मा और संसारके शत्रु हैं, उन मनुष्योंकी सामर्थ्यका उपयोग जगत्का नाश करनेके लिये ही होता है।
English
Thinking thus, these degraded souls, these enemies of mankind - whose intelligence is negligible and whose deeds are monstrous - come into the world only to destroy.
Holding this view, these people of ruined understanding and destructive deeds arise as enemies of the world, working for its destruction.
Krishna
16.10
काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः। मोहाद्गृहीत्वासद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः॥
kāmamāśritya duṣpūraṃ dambhamānamadānvitāḥ, mohādgṛhītvāsadgrāhānpravartante'śucivratāḥ.
हिन्दी अर्थ
कभी पूरी न होनेवाली कामनाओंका आश्रय लेकर दम्भ, अभिमान और मदमें चूर रहनेवाले तथा अपवित्र व्रत धारण करनेवाले मनुष्य मोहके कारण दुराग्रहोंको धारण करके संसारमें विचरते रहते हैं।
English
Giving themselves up to insatiable passions, hypocritical, self-sufficient and arrogant, cherishing false conception founded on delusion, they work only to carry out their own unholy purposes.
Driven by insatiable desire, filled with hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, holding false beliefs due to delusion, they act with impure intent.
Krishna
16.11
चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः। कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्चिताः॥
cintāmaparimeyāṃ ca pralayāntāmupāśritāḥ, kāmopabhogaparamā etāvaditi niścitāḥ.
हिन्दी अर्थ
वे मृत्युपर्यन्त रहनेवाली अपार चिन्ताओंका आश्रय लेनेवाले, पदार्थोंका संग्रह और उनका भोग करनेमें ही लगे रहनेवाले और 'जो कुछ है, वह इतना ही है' -- ऐसा निश्चय करनेवाले होते हैं।
English
Poring anxiously over evil resolutions, which only end in death; seeking only the gratification of desire as the highest goal; seeing nothing beyond;
Beset by immeasurable anxieties lasting until death, considering the gratification of desire as life's highest aim, convinced this is all there is.
Krishna
16.12
आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः। ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान्॥
āśāpāśaśatairbaddhāḥ kāmakrodhaparāyaṇāḥ, īhante kāmabhogārthamanyāyenārthasañcayān.
हिन्दी अर्थ
वे आशाकी सैकड़ों फाँसियोंसे बँधे हुए मनुष्य काम-क्रोधके परायण होकर पदार्थोंका भोग करनेके लिये अन्यायपूर्वक धन-संचय करनेकी चेष्टा करते रहते हैं।
English
Caught in the toils of a hundred vain hopes, the slaves of passion and wrath, they accumulate hoards of unjust wealth, only to pander to their sensual desire.
Bound by hundreds of hopes, devoted to desire and anger, they strive to accumulate wealth by unjust means for the sake of sensory enjoyment.
Krishna
16.13
इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम्। इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम्॥
idamadya mayā labdhamimaṃ prāpsye manoratham, idamastīdamapi me bhaviṣyati punardhanam.
हिन्दी अर्थ
इतनी वस्तुएँ तो हमने आज प्राप्त कर लीं और अब इस मनोरथको प्राप्त (पूरा) कर लेंगे।,इतना धन तो हमारे पास है ही, इतना धन फिर हो जायगा।
English
This I have gained today; tomorrow I will gratify another desire; this wealth is mine now, the rest shall be mine ere long;
Thinking: this I have gained today, this desire I shall fulfill next, this wealth is mine, and more shall be mine too.
Krishna
16.14
असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि। ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी॥
asau mayā hataḥ śatrurhaniṣye cāparānapi, īśvaro'hamahaṃ bhogī siddho'haṃ balavānsukhī.
हिन्दी अर्थ
वह शत्रु तो हमारे द्वारा मारा गया और उन दूसरे शत्रुओंको भी हम मार डालेंगे। हम सर्वसमर्थ हैं। हमारे पास भोग-सामग्री बहुत है। हम सिद्ध हैं। हम बड़े बलवान् और सुखी हैं।
English
I have slain one enemy, I will slay the others also; I am worthy to enjoy, I am the Almighty, I am perfect, powerful and happy;
That enemy I have slain, and I shall slay others too; I am the lord, I am the enjoyer, I am accomplished, powerful, and happy.
Krishna
16.15
आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया। यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः॥
āḍhyo'bhijanavānasmi ko'nyo'sti sadṛśo mayā, yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya ityajñānavimohitāḥ.
हिन्दी अर्थ
हम धनवान् हैं, बहुत-से मनुष्य हमारे पास हैं, हमारे समान और कौन है? हम खूब यज्ञ करेंगे, दान देंगे और मौज करेंगे -- इस तरह वे अज्ञानसे मोहित रहते हैं।
English
I am rich, I am well-bred; who is there to compare with me? I will sacrifice, I will give, I will pay - and I will enjoy. Thus blinded by Ignorance,
I am wealthy and well-born; who else compares to me? I shall perform sacrifices, give charity, and rejoice -- so they think, deluded by ignorance.
Krishna
16.16
अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः। प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ॥
anekacittavibhrāntā mohajālasamāvṛtāḥ, prasaktāḥ kāmabhogeṣu patanti narake'śucau.
हिन्दी अर्थ
कामनाओंके कारण तरह-तरहसे भ्रमित चित्तवाले, मोह-जालमें अच्छी तरहसे फँसे हुए तथा पदार्थों और भोगोंमें अत्यन्त आसक्त रहनेवाले मनुष्य भयङ्कर नरकोंमें गिरते हैं।
English
Perplexed by discordant thoughts, entangled in the snares of desire, infatuated by passion, they sink into the horrors of hell.
Bewildered by many distracting thoughts, entangled in the net of delusion, attached to the gratification of desire, they fall into a foul hell.
Krishna
16.17
आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः। यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्॥
ātmasambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhanamānamadānvitāḥ, yajante nāmayajñaiste dambhenāvidhipūrvakam.
हिन्दी अर्थ
अपनेको सबसे अधिक पूज्य माननेवाले, अकड़ रखनेवाले तथा धन और मानके मदमें चूर रहनेवाले वे मनुष्य दम्भसे अविधिपूर्वक नाममात्रके यज्ञोंसे यजन करते हैं।
English
Self-conceited, stubborn, rich, proud and insolent, they make a display of their patronage, disregarding the rules of decency.
Self-important, stubborn, filled with the pride of wealth and status, they perform rituals in name only, with pretense and without following proper method.
Krishna
16.18
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः। मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः॥
ahaṅkāraṃ balaṃ darpaṃ kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca saṃśritāḥ, māmātmaparadeheṣu pradviṣanto'bhyasūyakāḥ.
हिन्दी अर्थ
वे अहङ्कार, हठ, घमण्ड, कामना और क्रोधका आश्रय लेनेवाले मनुष्य अपने और दूसरोंके शरीरमें रहनेवाले मुझ अन्तर्यामीके साथ द्वेष करते हैं तथा (मेरे और दूसरोंके गुणोंमें) दोष-दृष्टि रखते हैं।
English
Puffed up by power and inordinate conceit, swayed by lust and wrath, these wicked people hate Me Who am within them, as I am within all.
Clinging to ego, power, arrogance, desire, and anger, these malicious people despise Krishna, who dwells within their own bodies and the bodies of others.
Krishna
16.19
तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान्। क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु॥
tānahaṃ dviṣataḥ krūrānsaṃsāreṣu narādhamān, kṣipāmyajasramaśubhānāsurīṣveva yoniṣu.
हिन्दी अर्थ
उन द्वेष करनेवाले, क्रूर स्वभाववाले और संसारमें महान् नीच, अपवित्र मनुष्योंको मैं बार-बार आसुरी योनियोंमें गिराता ही रहता हूँ।
English
Those who thus hate Me, who are cruel, the dregs of mankind, I condemn them to a continuous, miserable and godless rebirth.
Krishna casts these hateful, cruel, and vile people, again and again, into demonic wombs within the cycle of rebirth.
Krishna
16.20
आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि। मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम्॥
āsurīṃ yonimāpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani, māmaprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yāntyadhamāṃ gatim.
हिन्दी अर्थ
हे कुन्तीनन्दन ! वे मूढ मनुष्य मेरेको प्राप्त न करके ही जन्म-जन्मान्तरमें आसुरी योनिको प्राप्त होते हैं, फिर उससे भी अधिक अधम गतिमें अर्थात् भयङ्कर नरकोंमें चले जाते हैं।
English
So reborn, they spend life after life, enveloped in delusion. And they never reach Me, O Prince, but degenerate into still lower forms of life.
Entering demonic wombs birth after birth, deluded, these people fail to reach Krishna and instead sink to an even lower state.
Krishna
16.21
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः। कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत्॥
trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ, kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet.
हिन्दी अर्थ
काम, क्रोध और लोभ -- ये तीन प्रकारके नरकके दरवाजे जीवात्माका पतन करनेवाले हैं, इसलिये इन तीनोंका त्याग कर देना चाहिये।
English
The gates of hell are three: lust, wrath and avarice. They destroy the Self. Avoid them.
Krishna names three gates to self-destructive ruin: desire, anger, and greed; therefore one should abandon all three.
Krishna
16.22
एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः। आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम्॥
etairvimuktaḥ kaunteya tamodvāraistribhirnaraḥ, ācaratyātmanaḥ śreyastato yāti parāṃ gatim.
हिन्दी अर्थ
हे कुन्तीनन्दन ! इन नरकके तीनों दरवाजोंसे रहित हुआ जो मनुष्य अपने कल्याणका आचरण करता है, वह परमगतिको प्राप्त हो जाता है।
English
These are the gates which lead to darkness; if a man avoid them he will ensure his own welfare, and in the end will attain his liberation.
A person freed from these three dark gates works for their own well-being and thereby reaches the highest goal.
Krishna
16.23
यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः। न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्॥
yaḥ śāstravidhimutsṛjya vartate kāmakārataḥ, na sa siddhimavāpnoti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim.
हिन्दी अर्थ
जो मनुष्य शास्त्रविधिको छोड़कर अपनी इच्छासे मनमाना आचरण करता है, वह न सिद्धि-(अन्तःकरणकी शुद्धि-) को, न सुखको और न परमगतिको ही प्राप्त होता है।
English
But he who neglects the commands of the scriptures, and follows the promptings of passion, he does not attain perfection, happiness or the final goal.
One who disregards the guidance of scripture and acts driven by desire attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the highest goal.
Krishna
16.24
तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ। ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि॥
tasmācchāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ te kāryākāryavyavasthitau, jñātvā śāstravidhānoktaṃ karma kartumihārhasi.
हिन्दी अर्थ
अतः तेरे लिये कर्तव्य-अकर्तव्यकी व्यवस्थामें शास्त्र ही प्रमाण है -- ऐसा जानकर तू इस लोकमें शास्त्र-विधिसे नियत कर्तव्य कर्म करनेयोग्य है।
English
Therefore whenever there is doubt whether thou shouldst do a thing or not, let the scriptures guide thy conduct. In the light of the scriptures shouldst thou labour the whole of thy life.
Therefore, Krishna says, scripture should be one's authority in determining what should and should not be done; understanding scripture's guidance, one should act accordingly in this world.