SRIMAD BHAGAVAD-GITA: CHAPTER SIXTEEN

sri-bhagavan uvacha
abhayam sattva-samsuddhir, jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih
danam damas cha yajnas cha, svadhyayas tapa arjavam [1]
ahimsa satyam akrodhas, tyagah santir apaisunam
daya bhutesv aloluptvam, mardavam hrir achapalam [2]
tejah ksama dhrtih saucham, adroho natimanita
bhavanti sampadam daivim, abhijatasya bharata [3]

sri-bhagavan uvacha–The Supreme Lord said: (he) bharata–O Arjuna; (ete gunah) bhavanti–these are the qualities; abhijatasya–of a person born to a destiny; daivim sampadam–blessed with godliness: abhayam–fearlessness; sattva-samsuddhih–graciousheartedness; jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih–absorption in the yoga of knowledge (13:8-12); danam–generosity; damah cha–sense-control; yajnah cha–sacrifice; svadhyayah–study of the Vedas; tapah–austerity; arjavam–straightforwardness; ahimsa–nonviolence; satyam–truthfulness; akrodhah–freedom from anger; tyagah–worldly detachment; santih–mental control, tranquillity; apaisunam–freedom from finding fault in others; daya–compassion; bhutesu–for all beings; aloluptvam–absence of greed; mardavam–gentleness; hrih–modesty; achapalam–steadfastness; tejah–vigour; ksama–forgiveness; dhrtih–patience; saucham–external and internal purity; adrohah–freedom from malice; na ati-manita–and freedom from conceit.

1-3 The Supreme Lord said: O Bharata, these are the qualities of a person born of a godly nature: fearlessness, gracious-heartedness, absorption in self-knowledge, generosity, sense-control, sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity, sincerity, nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, worldly detachment, tranquillity, disinclination to see the faults of others, compassion, freedom from greed, gentleness, modesty, steadfastness, vigour, forgiveness, patience, purity, and freedom from malice and egoism.

dambho darpo 'bhimanas cha, krodhah parusyam eva cha
ajnanam chabhijatasya, partha sampadam asurim [4]

(he) partha–O son of Kunti; (ete gunah bhavanti)–these are the (impure) characteristics; abhijatasya–of a person born to a destiny; asurim sampadam–of the ungodly nature: dambhah–pride (of religiosity, etc); darpah–conceit (on account of one's knowledge, wealth, or high birth); abhimanah cha–considering oneself worshippable; krodhah–anger; parusyam eva cha–mercilessness; ajnanam cha–and ignorance.

4 O Partha, these are the qualities of a person born of an ungodly nature: pride, conceit, egoism, anger, cruelty and ignorance.

daivi sampad vimoksaya, nibandhayasuri mata
ma suchah sampadam daivim, abhijato 'si pandava [5]

daivi sampat–The godly qualities; mata–are described; vimoksaya–as the cause of liberation; asuri (cha)–and the demoniac qualities; nibandhaya–as the cause of bondage. (he) pandava–O son of Pandu; (tvam)–you; abhijatah asi–are born to a destiny; daivim sampadam–of the godly and virtuous qualities; ma suchah–so do not fear.

5 The godly qualities have been described as the cause of liberation, and the ungodly qualities have been described as the cause of bondage. O Pandava, do not fear, for you are born of a godly nature.

dvau bhuta-sargau loke 'smin, daiva asura eva cha
daivo vistarasah prokta, asuram partha me srnu [6]

(he) partha–O Arjuna; dvau eva bhuta-sargau–these two natures of beings; (drsyate)–are seen; asmin loke–in this material world: daivah–the godly nature; asurah cha–and the ungodly. daivah–The godly nature; proktah–has been described; vistarasah–elaborately. srnu–Now hear; me–from Me; asuram–of the ungodly nature.

6 O Partha, in this world the living beings are of two natures—the godly and the ungodly. I have elaborately described the godly nature to you, so now hear from Me about the ungodly:

pravrttim cha nivrttim cha, jana na vidur asurah
na saucham napi chacharo, na satyam tesu vidyate [7]

asurah janah–Persons of demoniac nature; na viduh–do not know; pravrttim cha–right action; nivrttim cha–and wrong action. na vidyate–There is neither; saucham–purity; na–nor; acharah api–good practices; na satyam cha–nor truthfulness; tesu–in them.

7 The ungodly cannot distinguish between right and wrong action. No purity, good practices or truthfulness can be found in them.

asatyam apratistham te, jagad ahur anisvaram
aparaspara-sambhutam, kim anyat kama-hetukam [8]

te–They, the persons of demoniac nature; ahuh–say: jagat asatyam–"The world is without truth; apratistham–baseless; anisvaram–godless; aparaspara-sambhutam–and everything is born of male and female union. kama-hetukam–The reason for existence is lust alone. kim anyat–What is there beyond this?"

8 The persons of ungodly nature say the world is without truth, baseless, godless, and that everything is born of male and female union. They say that life has no purpose beyond lust.

etam drstim avastabhya, nastatmano 'lpa-buddhayah
prabhavanty ugra-karmanah, ksayaya jagato 'hitah [9]

avastabhya–Holding; etam–such; drstim–a view; (asurah)–the demons; nastaatmanah–depraved; alpa-buddhayah–of low intelligence; ugra-karmanah–of cruel acts; ahitah–of inauspicious nature; prabhavanti–become powerful; ksayaya–for the destruction; jagatah–of the world.

9 Holding such a view, the demons, depraved and of low intelligence, become powerful and engage in cruel, inauspicious acts for the destruction of the world.

kamam asritya duspuram, dambha-mana-madanvitah
mohad grhitvasad-grahan, pravartante 'suchi-vratah [10]

asritya–Giving themselves up to; duspuram–insatiable; kamam–desire; (te)–such demons; dambha-mana-mada-anvitah–full of vanity, pride and arrogance; mohat–deluded; asat-grahan grhitva–by eagerness for mundane enjoyment; pravartante–engage; asuchi-vratah–in grave malpractices.

10 Giving themselves up to the delusion of insatiable desires for mundane enjoyment, such demons, full of vanity, pride and arrogance, engage in grave malpractices.

chintam aparimeyam cha, pralayantam upasritah
kamopabhoga-parama, etavad iti nischitah [11] asa-pasa-satair baddhah, kama-krodha-parayanah
ihante kama-bhogartham, anyayenartha-sanchayan [12]

pralaya-antam–Until death; upasritah–overwhelmed with; aparimeyam cha–unlimited; chintam–cares; (te)–they; nischitah iti–consider that; etavat–only; kamaupabhoga-paramah–enjoyment of desires is the ultimate. baddhah–Bound; asa-pasasataih–by the snares of hundreds of wishes; kama-krodha-parayanah–overcome with desire and anger; (te) ihante–they try; artha-sanchayan–to amass wealth; anyayena–unlawfully; kama-bhoga-artham–for the fulfillment of their desires.

11-12 Until death they remain burdened with endless cares. They think that mundane enjoyment is the goal of life. Bound by hundreds of wishes and overcome with desire and anger, they endeavour to amass wealth unlawfully to fulfill their desires.

idam adya maya labdham, idam prapsye manoratham
idam astidam api me, bhavisyati punar dhanam [13]

adya–"Today; idam–this; labdham–was gained; maya–by me; (punah)–and again; prapsye–I will get; idam manoratham–this other desirable object. idam–This wealth; asti me–is mine; punah–and again; idam api dhanam–more wealth; bhavisyati–will be; (me)–mine."

13 The ungodly persons say, "Today I got what I wanted, and tomorrow I will also get what I want. All this is my wealth, and I will have even more in the future."

asau maya hatah satrur, hanisye chaparan api
isvaro 'ham aham bhogi, siddho 'ham balavan sukhi [14]

asau–"This; satruh–enemy; hatah–has been destoyed; maya–by me; api cha–and again; hanisye–I will destroy; aparan–others. aham isvarah–I am the lord; aham bhogi–I am the enjoyer; aham siddhah–I am successful; balavan–powerful; sukhi–and happy."

14 "I have destroyed one enemy, and I will destroy others. I am successful, powerful, and happy."

adhyo 'bhijanavan asmi, ko 'nyo 'sti sadrso maya
yaksye dasyami modisya, ity ajnana-vimohitah [15]

(aham) asmi–"I am; adhyah–rich; abhijanavan–and high-born. kah asti–Who is; anyah–another; maya sadrsah–like me? (aham)–I; yaksye–will perform sacrifice; dasyami–give charity; modisye–and enjoy." iti–Thus; ajnana-vimohitah–they are deluded by ignorant notions.

15 "I am wealthy and aristocratic. Who can compare with me? I shall perform sacrifice, give charity and enjoy myself." Thus they are deluded by ignorance.

aneka-chitta-vibhranta, moha-jala-samavrtah
prasaktah kama-bhogesu, patanti narake 'suchau [16]

aneka-chitta-vibhrantah–Their minds full of many vain thoughts; moha-jala-samavr tah–caught in the net of illusion; prasaktah–engrossed; kama-bhogesu–in mundane enjoyment; patanti–they fall; asuchau–to a foul; narake–hell, like Vaitarani.

16 Their minds full of vain thoughts, caught in the net of illusion and engrossed in mundane enjoyment, such ungodly persons fall to a foul hell.

atma-sambhavitah stabdha, dhana-mana-madanvitah
yajante nama-yajnais te, dambhenavidhi-purvakam [17]

atma-sambhavitah–Conceited; stabdhah–obstinate; dhana-mana-mada-anvitah–intoxicated by wealth and pride; te–those demons; avidhi-purvakam–ignoring the scriptural injunctions; dambhena–hypocritically; yajante–perform sacrifices; nama-yajnaih–in name only (pseudo-sacrifices).

17 Conceited, obstinate and intoxicated by wealth and grandeur, ignoring the scriptural injunctions, these demons make a hypocritical show of sacrifices.

ahankaram balam darpam, kamam krodham cha samsritah
mam atma-para-dehesu, pradvisanto 'bhyasuyakah [18]

samsritah–Given to; ahankaram–egoism; balam–power; darpam–pride; kamam–lust; krodham cha–and anger; (te bhavanti)–they are; pradvisantah–resentful; mam–of Me; (sthitam)–who am situated; atma-para-dehesu–within their own and others' bodies; abhyasuyakah–and they ascribe faults to the good qualities of the saintly persons.

18 Given to egoism, pomp and power, lust and anger, they are resentful of Me, who am situated in their own and others' bodies as the Supersoul, and they ascribe faults to the good qualities of the saintly persons.

tan aham dvisatah kruran, samsaresu naradhaman
ksipamy ajasram asubhan, asurisv eva yonisu [19]

aham–I; ajasram–continually; ksipami–cast; tan–these; dvisatah–resentful; kruran–cruel; asubhan–inauspicious; naradhaman–decadent persons; samsaresu–into the cycle of birth and death; asurisu yonisu eva–in the wombs of the demoniac.

19 I continually cast these resentful, cruel, inauspicious and decadent persons into the demoniac species, in the cycle of birth and death.

asurim yonim apanna, mudha janmani janmani
mam aprapyaiva kaunteya, tato yanty adhamam gatim [20]

(he) kaunteya–O son of Kunti; apannah–taking; janmani janmani–birth after birth; asurim–in demoniac; yonim–species; mudhah–these deluded persons; aprapya eva–not reaching; mam–Me; yanti gatim–suffer a fate; tatah adhamam–worse than that.

20 O Kaunteya, repeatedly taking birth in the demoniac species, these deluded persons cannot come to Me, and they descend to lower and lower planes.

tri-vidham narakasyedam, dvaram nasanam atmanah
kamah krodhas tatha lobhas, tasmad etat trayam tyajet [21]

idam tri-vidham–These three kinds of; dvaram–doors; narakasya–of hell; atmanah nasanam–lead to self-destruction: kamah–lust; krodhah–anger; tatha lobhah–and greed; tasmat–so; etat trayam–these three; tyajet–must be abandoned.

21 Lust, anger and greed are the three doors of hell leading to self-destruction, so they must be abandoned.

etair vimuktah kaunteya, tamo-dvarais tribhir narah
acharaty atmanah sreyas, tato yati param gatim [22]

(he) kaunteya–O Kaunteya; narah–a person; vimuktah–liberated; etaih–from these; tribhih tamah-dvaraih–three doors of darkness; acharati–acts; sreyah–for the benefit; atmanah–of the soul. tatah–By that; yati–he reaches; param–the supreme; gatim–goal.

22 O Kaunteya, one who is liberated from these three doors of darkness strives for the benefit of the soul, by which he attains the supreme destination.

yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya, vartate kama-charatah
na sa siddhim avapnoti, na sukham na param gatim [23]

sah yah–He who; utsrjya–disregarding; sastra-vidhim–the injunctions of the scriptures; vartate kama-charatah–acts according to his own desires; avapnoti–attains; na siddhim–neither perfection, purification; na sukham–nor happiness; na param gatim–nor the supreme destination.

23 One who acts according to his own desires, disregarding the scriptural injunctions, cannot attain perfection, happiness, or the supreme destination.

tasmach chhastram pramanam te, karyakarya-vyavasthitau
jnatva sastra-vidhanoktam, karma kartum iharhasi [24]

tasmat–Therefore; sastram–the scriptural injunctions; karyakarya-vyavasthitau–concerning duty and non-duty; te pramanam–are your authority. jnatva–Knowing; sastravidhana-uktam–scripturally enjoined; karma–duty; iha–in this world of action; (tvam) arhasi–you ought; (tat) kartum–to act accordingly.

24 Therefore, the scriptural injunctions for duty and non-duty are your authority. Knowing your duty in this world according to the scriptures (to act only for the Lord's pleasure), you should act accordingly.

iti sri-mahabharate sata-sahasryam samhitayam vaiyasikyam
bhisma-parvani srimad-bhagavad-gitasupanisatsu brahmavidyayam
yoga-sastre sri-krsnarjuna-samvade daivasurasampad-
vibhaga-yogo nama sodaso 'dhyayah [16]

End of Chapter Sixteen

The Godly and Ungodly Natures

from the conversation
of Sri Krishna and Arjuna
in Srimad Bhagavad-Gita Upanisad,
the Yoga Scripture of Transcendental Knowledge
in Bhisma Parva of Sri Mahabharata, the Holy Scripture
revealed by Srila Vyasadeva in a hundred thousand verses.

• Mangalacharanam
• Preface
• Introduction
1 Observing the Armies
2 The Constitution of the Soul
3 The Path of Action
4 The Path of Knowledge
5 The Path of Renunciation of Action
6 The Path of Meditation
7 Knowledge and Realization of the Supreme
8 The Merciful Absolute
9 The Hidden Treasure of Devotion
10 The Divine Glories of the Lord
11 The Vision of the Universal Form
12 The Path of Devotion
13 Distinction Between Matter and Spirit
14 The Three Divisions of Material Nature
15 The Supreme Person
16 The Godly and Ungodly Natures
17 The Three Types of Faith
18 The Path of Liberation
• The Glories of the Gita
• The Glories of Srimad Bhagavad-gita from Sri Vaisnaviya-tantra-sara