Chapter 16

Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga

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.

24 Verses

VERSE 1
The Supreme Divine Personality said: O scion of Bharat, fearlessness, purity of mind, steadfastness in spiritual knowledge, charity, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of the sacred books, austerity, and straightforwardness
VERSE 2
non-violence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, restraint from fault-finding, compassion toward all living beings, absence of covetousness, gentleness, modesty, and lack of fickleness
VERSE 3
vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, bearing enmity toward none, and absence of vanity—these are the saintly virtues of those endowed with a divine nature.
VERSE 4
O Parth, the qualities of those who possess a demoniac nature are hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance.
VERSE 5
Divine qualities lead to liberation while demonic qualities lead to destiny of continuous bondage. Hey Arjun! Don't grieve because you were born with divine qualities.
VERSE 6
There are two kinds of beings in this world—those endowed with a divine nature and those possessing a demoniac nature. I have described the divine qualities in detail, O Arjun. Now hear from me about the demoniac nature.
VERSE 7
Those possessing a demoniac nature do not comprehend which actions are proper and which are improper. Hence, they possess neither purity, nor good conduct, nor even truthfulness.
VERSE 8
They say, “The world is without Absolute Truth, without any basis (for moral order), and without a God (who has created or is controlling it). It is created from the combination of the two sexes, and has no purpose other than sexual gratification.
VERSE 9
Holding fast to such views, these misdirected souls, with small intellect and cruel actions, arise as enemies of the world threatening its destruction.
VERSE 10
Harboring insatiable lust, full of hypocrisy, pride and arrogance, the demoniac cling to their false tenets. Thus illusioned, they are attracted to the impermanent and work with impure resolve.
VERSE 11
They are obsessed with endless anxieties that end only with death. Still, they maintain with complete assurance that gratification of desires and accumulation of wealth is the highest purpose of life.
VERSE 12
Held in bondage by hundreds of desires, and driven by lust and anger, they strive to accumulate wealth by unjust means, all for the gratification of their senses.
VERSE 13
The demoniac persons think, “I have gained so much wealth today, and I shall now fulfill this desire of mine. This is mine, and tomorrow I shall have even more.
VERSE 14
That enemy has been destroyed by me, and I shall destroy the others too! I am like God Himself, I am the enjoyer, I am perfect, I am powerful, and I am happy.
VERSE 15
I am wealthy and I have highly placed relatives. Who else is equal to me? I shall perform sacrifices (to the celestial gods); I shall give alms; I shall rejoice.” In this way, they are deluded by ignorance.
VERSE 16
Possessed and led astray by such imaginings, enveloped in a mesh of delusion, and addicted to the gratification of sensuous pleasures, they descend to the murkiest hell.
VERSE 17
Such self-conceited and stubborn people, full of pride and arrogant in their wealth, perform ostentatious sacrifices in name only, with no regard to the rules of the scriptures.
VERSE 18
Blinded by egotism, strength, arrogance, desire, and anger, the demonic abuse Me, who am present in their own body and in the bodies of others.
VERSE 19
These cruel and hateful persons, the vile and vicious of humankind, I constantly hurl into the wombs of those with similar demoniac natures in the cycle of rebirth in the material world.
VERSE 20
These ignorant souls take birth again and again in demoniac wombs. Failing to reach Me, O Arjun, they gradually sink to the most abominable type of existence.
VERSE 21
There are three gates leading to the hell of self-destruction for the soul—lust, anger, and greed. Therefore, one should abandon all three.
VERSE 22
Those who are free from the three gates to darkness endeavor for the welfare of their soul, and thereby attain the supreme goal.
VERSE 23
Those who act under the impulse of desire, discarding the injunctions of the scriptures, attain neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme goal in life.
VERSE 24
Therefore, let the scriptures be your authority in determining what should be done and what should not be done. Understand the scriptural injunctions and teachings, and then perform your actions in this world accordingly.