Bhagavad Gītā

Chapter 16: Daivāsura Sampad Vibhāga Yoga

— begin anuṣṭubh meter (4x8) —

Śloka 16.1

श्रीभगवानुवाच
śrībhagavānuvāca
अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्-
abhayaṃ sattvasaṃśuddhir-
ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः ।
jñānayogavyavasthitiḥ |
दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च
dānaṃ damaśca yajñaśca
स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ॥ १ ॥
svādhyāyastapa ārjavam ‖ 1 ‖

~~~

śrī-bhagavān-uvāca: The Blessed + Lord + he said; abhayam: fearlessness; sattvasaṃśuddhiḥ-jñānayoga-vyavasthitiḥ: purity of mind + jñānayoga + steadfastness; dānam: charity; damaḥ-ca: self-restraint + and; yajñaḥ-ca: sacrifice + and; svādhyāyaḥ-tapaḥ: self-study + austerity; ārjavam: directness

The Blessed Lord said: “[1] Fearlessness, [2] purity of mind, [3] steadfastness in jñānayoga, [4] charity, [5] self-restraint, [6] sacrifice, [7] self-study, [8] austerity, [9] directness…”

Śloka 16.2

अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्-
ahiṃsā satyamakrodhas-
त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम् ।
tyāgaḥ śāntirapaiśunam |
दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं
dayā bhūteṣvaloluptvaṃ
मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥ २ ॥
mārdavaṃ hrīracāpalam ‖ 2 ‖

~~~

ahiṃsā: non-harming; satyam-akrodhaḥ-tyāgaḥ: truthfulness + lack of anger + renunciation; śāntiḥ-apaiśunam: peacefulness + non-slander; dayā: compassion; bhūteṣu-aloluptvam: in (for) all beings + desirelessness; mārdavam: gentleness; hrīḥ-acāpalam: modesty + non-fickleness

“…[10] non-harming, [11] truthfulness, [12] lack of anger, [13] renunciation, [14] peacefulness, [15] non-slander, [16] compassion for all beings, [17] desirelessness, [18] gentleness, [19] modesty, [20] non-fickleness…”

Śloka 16.3

तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचम्-
tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucam-
अद्रोहो नातिमानिता ।
adroho nātimānitā |
भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीम्-
bhavanti sampadaṃ daivīm-
अभिजातस्य भारत ॥ ३ ॥
abhijātasya bhārata ‖ 3 ‖

~~~

tejaḥ: brilliance; kṣamā: patience; dhṛtiḥ: determination; śaucam-adrohaḥ: purity + non-aggression; na-atimānitā: not + self-conceit; bhavanti: they are; sampadam: endowments; daivīm-abhijātasya: of divine + birth; bhārata: O Descendant of Bharata

“…[21] brilliance, [22] patience, [23] determination, [24] purity, [25] non-aggression, and [26] absence of self-conceit, O Descendant of Bharata, are the endowments of one of divine birth.”

Śloka 16.4

दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च
dambho darpo’bhimānaśca
क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च ।
krodhaḥ pāruṣyameva ca |
अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य
ajñānaṃ cābhijātasya
पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम् ॥ ४ ॥
pārtha sampadamāsurīm ‖ 4 ‖

~~~

dambhaḥ: pride; darpaḥ-abhimānaḥ-ca: arrogance + conceit + and; krodhaḥ: anger; pāruṣyam-eva: harshness + certainly; ca: and; ajñānam: ignorance; ca-abhijātasya: and + of birth; pārtha: O Son of Pṛthā; sampadam-āsurīm: endowments + demoniac

“Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance, O Son of Pṛthā, are the endowments of one of demoniac birth.”

Śloka 16.5

दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय
daivī sampadvimokṣāya
निबन्धायासुरी मता ।
nibandhāyāsurī matā |
मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीम्-
mā śucaḥ sampadaṃ daivīm-
अभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव ॥ ५ ॥
abhijāto’si pāṇḍava ‖ 5 ‖

~~~

daivī: divine; sampat-vimokṣāya: endowments + for liberation; nibandhāya-āsurī: for bondage + demoniac; matā: considered; mā: not; śucaḥ: worry; sampadam: endowments; daivīm-abhijātaḥ-asi: divine + born + you are; pāṇḍava: O Son of Pāṇḍu

“The divine endowments are considered liberating, and the demoniac endowments are considered binding.  Do no worry, O Son of Pāṇḍu, you are born with divine endowments.”

Śloka 16.6

द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन्-
dvau bhūtasargau loke’smin-
दैव आसुर एव च ।
daiva āsura eva ca |
दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त
daivo vistaraśaḥ prokta
आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु ॥ ६ ॥
āsuraṃ pārtha me śṛṇu ‖ 6 ‖

~~~

dvau: two; bhūtasargau: created beings; loke-asmin-daiva: in the world + in this + divine; āsuraḥ: demoniac; eva: certainly; ca: and; daivaḥ: divine; vistaraśaḥ: extensively; proktaḥ: spoken; āsuram: demoniac; pārtha: O Son of Pṛthā; me: from me; śṛṇu: you should hear

“There are two types of created beings in this world, O Son of Pṛthā: the divine and the demoniac.  The divine has been spoken about extensively.  Now hear from me about the demoniac.”

Śloka 16.7

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च
pravṛttiṃ ca nivṛttiṃ ca
जना न विदुरासुराः ।
janā na vidurāsurāḥ |
न शौचं नापि चाचारो
na śaucaṃ nāpi cācāro
न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते ॥ ७ ॥
na satyaṃ teṣu vidyate ‖ 7 ‖

~~~

pravṛttim: what should be done; ca: and; nivṛttim: what should not be done; ca: and; janāḥ: people; na: not; viduḥ-āsurāḥ: they know + demoniac; na: neither; śaucam: purity; na-api: nor + also; ca-acāraḥ: and + behavior; na: nor; satyam: truthfulness; teṣu: in them; vidyate: it is found

“People who are demoniac do not understand what should be done and what should not be done.  Neither purity, nor good behavior, nor truthfulness are found in them.”

Śloka 16.8

असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते
asatyamapratiṣṭhaṃ te
जगदाहुरनीश्वरम् ।
jagadāhuranīśvaram |
अपरस्परसम्भूतं
aparasparasambhūtaṃ
किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम् ॥ ८ ॥
kimanyatkāmahaitukam ‖ 8 ‖

~~~

asatyam-apratiṣṭham: unreal + without basis; te: they; jagat-āhuḥ-anīśvaram: universe + it is said + devoid of an Oversoul; aparaspara-sambhūtam: mutually + assembled; kim-anyat-kāma-haitukam: what + than another + attraction + having a reason

“They say that the universe is unreal, without basis, devoid of an Oversoul, and was assembled for no reason other than mutual attraction.”

Śloka 16.9

एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य
etāṃ dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya
नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः ।
naṣṭātmāno’lpabuddhayaḥ |
प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः
prabhavantyugrakarmāṇaḥ
क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः ॥ ९ ॥
kṣayāya jagato’hitāḥ ‖ 9 ‖

~~~

etām: this; dṛṣṭim-avaṣṭabhya: vision + clinging to; naṣṭa-ātmānaḥ-alpa-buddhayaḥ: lost + souls + of little + intelligence; prabhavanti-ugra-karmāṇaḥ: they become + of fierce + deeds; kṣayāya: for destruction; jagataḥ-ahitāḥ: of the world + enemies

“Clinging to this view, these lost souls of little intelligence and fierce deeds become enemies for the destruction of the world.”

Śloka 16.10

काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं
kāmamāśritya duṣpūraṃ
दम्भमानमदान्विताः ।
dambhamānamadānvitāḥ |
मोहाद्गृहीत्वासद्ग्राहान्-
mohādgṛhītvāsadgrāhān-
प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः ॥ १० ॥
pravartante’śucivratāḥ ‖ 10 ‖

~~~

kāmam-āśritya: desires + having succumbed to; duṣpūram: insatiable; dambha-māna-mada-anvitāḥ: pride + deceit + arrogance + full of; mohāt-gṛhītvā-asat-grāhān-pravartante-aśuci-vratāḥ: from delusion + having adopted + false + views + they act + impure + intentions

“Having succumbed to insatiable desires, full of deceit, pride, and arrogance, and having adopted false views based on delusion, they act with impure intentions.”

Śloka 16.11

चिन्तामपरिमेयां च
cintāmaparimeyāṃ ca
प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः ।
pralayāntāmupāśritāḥ |
कामोपभोगपरमा-
kāmopabhogaparamā-
एतावदिति निश्चिताः ॥ ११ ॥
etāvaditi niścitāḥ ‖ 11 ‖

~~~

cintām-aparimeyām: worries + countless; ca: and; pralaya-antām-upāśritāḥ: death + unto + burdened by; kāma-upabhoga-paramāḥ-etāvat-iti: desire + fulfillment + highest + second to none + thus; niścitāḥ: having determined

“Thus, having determined the fulfillment of desire to be the highest goal, second to none, they are burdened by countless worries unto death.”

Śloka 16.12

आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः
āśāpāśaśatairbaddhāḥ
कामक्रोधपरायणाः ।
kāmakrodhaparāyaṇāḥ |
ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थम्-
īhante kāmabhogārtham-
अन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान् ॥ १२ ॥
anyāyenārthasañcayān ‖ 12 ‖

~~~

āśā-pāśa-śataiḥ-baddhāḥ: expectations + ties + by hundreds + bound; kāma-krodha-parāyaṇāḥ: desire + anger + driven by; īhante: they attempt; kāmabhoga-artham-anyāyena-artha-sañcayān: satisfaction of desire + purpose + unjust + wealth + accumulation

“Bound by the ties of hundreds of expectations, driven by desire and anger, they attempt to unjustly accumulate wealth to satisfy their desires.”

Śloka 16.13

इदमद्य मया लब्धम्-
idamadya mayā labdham-
इमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम् ।
imaṃ prāpsye manoratham |
इदमस्तीदमपि मे
idamastīdamapi me
भविष्यति पुनर्धनम् ॥ १३ ॥
bhaviṣyati punardhanam ‖ 13 ‖

~~~

idam-adya: this + thus far; mayā: by me; labdham-imam: gained + this; prāpsye: I will gain; manoratham: according to desire; idam-asti-idam-api: this + it exists + this + also; me: mine; bhaviṣyati: it will increase; punaḥ-dhanam: again + wealth

“‘This much has been gained by me thus far, and I will gain that much more according to my desire.  This and that wealth is mine, and it will increase many times over in the future…’”

Śloka 16.14

असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्-
asau mayā hataḥ śatrur-
हनिष्ये चापरानपि ।
haniṣye cāparānapi |
ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी
īśvaro’hamahaṃ bhogī
सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी ॥ १४ ॥
siddho’haṃ balavānsukhī ‖ 14 ‖

~~~

asau: this; mayā: by me; hataḥ: slain; śatruḥ-haniṣye: enemy + I will slay; ca-aparān-api: and + others + also; īśvaraḥ-aham-aham: almighty + I + I; bhogī: enjoyer; siddhaḥ-aham: successful + I; balavān-sukhī: powerful + happy

“‘…I have slain this enemy, and I will slay even more.  I am the almighty.  I am the enjoyer.  I am successful, powerful, and happy…’”

Śloka 16.15

आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि
āḍhyo’bhijanavānasmi
कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया ।
ko’nyo’sti sadṛśo mayā |
यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य
yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya
इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः ॥ १५ ॥
ityajñānavimohitāḥ ‖ 15 ‖

~~~

āḍhyaḥ-abhijanavān-asmi: wealthy + of noble descent + I am; kaḥ-anyaḥ-asti: who + else + there is; sadṛśaḥ: like; mayā: with me; yakṣye: I will perform sacrifice; dāsyāmi: I will give charity; modiṣye: I will rejoice; iti-ajñāna-vimohitāḥ: thus + ignorance + deluded

“‘…I am wealthy and of noble descent.  Who else is like me?  I will perform sacrifice, give charity, and rejoice!’  Thus, think those deluded by ignorance.”

Śloka 16.16

अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता
anekacittavibhrāntā
मोहजालसमावृताः ।
mohajālasamāvṛtāḥ |
प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु
prasaktāḥ kāmabhogeṣu
पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ ॥ १६ ॥
patanti narake’śucau ‖ 16 ‖

~~~

aneka-citta-vibhrāntāḥ: many + thoughts + led astray; mohajāla-samāvṛtāḥ: web of delusion + surrounded by; prasaktāḥ: attached to; kāmabhogeṣu: to sense gratification; patanti: they fall; narake-aśucau: into hell + into impure

“Led astray by many thoughts, surrounded by a web of delusion, and attached to the gratification of desires, they fall into an impure hell.”

Śloka 16.17

आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा
ātmasambhāvitāḥ stabdhā
धनमानमदान्विताः ।
dhanamānamadānvitāḥ |
यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते
yajante nāmayajñaiste
दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम् ॥ १७ ॥
dambhenāvidhipūrvakam ‖ 17 ‖

~~~

ātmasambhāvitāḥ: self-conceit; stabdhāḥ: obstinance; dhana-māna-mada-anvitāḥ: wealth + arrogance + pride + full of; yajante: they sacrifice; nāma-yajñaiḥ-te: by (in) name + sacrifice + they; dambhena-avidhipūrvakam: proudly + not according to the rules

“Full of self-conceit, obstinance, wealth, pride, and arrogance, they proudly sacrifice in name only, without following the rules.”

Śloka 16.18

अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं
ahaṅkāraṃ balaṃ darpaṃ
कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः ।
kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca saṃśritāḥ |
मामात्मपरदेहेषु
māmātmaparadeheṣu
प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः ॥ १८ ॥
pradviṣanto’bhyasūyakāḥ ‖ 18 ‖

~~~

ahaṅkāram: egotism; balam: forcefulness; darpam: arrogance; kāmam: desire; krodham: anger; ca: and; saṃśritāḥ: having resorted to; mām-ātma-para-deheṣu: me + in their + other + bodies; pradviṣantaḥ-abhyasūyakāḥ: blaspheming + resentful

“Having resorted to egotism, forcefulness, arrogance, desire, and anger, these blasphemers resent me in their bodies and in others.”

Śloka 16.19

तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्-
tānahaṃ dviṣataḥ krūrān-
संसारेषु नराधमान् ।
saṃsāreṣu narādhamān |
क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभान्-
kṣipāmyajasramaśubhān-
आसुरीष्वेव योनिषु ॥ १९ ॥
āsurīṣveva yoniṣu ‖ 19 ‖

~~~

tān-aham: those + I; dviṣataḥ: hateful; krūrān-saṃsāreṣu: cruel + into transmigration; narādhamān: wretches; kṣipāmi-ajasram-aśubhān-āsurīṣu-eva: I cast + continually + into inauspicious + demoniac + strictly; yoniṣu: into wombs

“I continually cast those hateful, cruel wretches strictly into inauspicious, demoniac wombs of transmigration.”

Śloka 16.20

आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना
āsurīṃ yonimāpannā
मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि ।
mūḍhā janmani janmani |
मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय
māmaprāpyaiva kaunteya
ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम् ॥ २० ॥
tato yāntyadhamāṃ gatim ‖ 20 ‖

~~~

āsurīm: demoniac; yonim-āpannāḥ: wombs + entered; mūḍhāḥ: foolish; janmani: in birth; janmani: in birth; mām-aprāpya-eva: me + not having reached + certainly; kaunteya: O Son of Kuntī; tataḥ: thus; yānti-adhamām: they go + lowest; gatim: state

“Thus, having entered demoniac wombs birth after birth, and still having failed to reach me, O Son of Kuntī, they go to the lowest state.”

Śloka 16.21

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं
trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ
द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः ।
dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ |
कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्-
kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhas-
तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् ॥ २१ ॥
tasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet ‖ 21 ‖

~~~

trividham: three kinds; narakasya-idam: of (to) hell + this; dvāram: gates; nāśanam-ātmanaḥ: destruction + of self; kāmaḥ: desire; krodhaḥ-tathā: anger + as well as; lobhaḥ-tasmāt-etat-trayam: greed + therefore + these + three; tyajet: he should abandon

“The three gates to this hell of self-destruction are desire, anger, and greed.  Therefore, one must abandon these three.”

Śloka 16.22

एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय
etairvimuktaḥ kaunteya
तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः ।
tamodvāraistribhirnaraḥ |
आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्-
ācaratyātmanaḥ śreyas-
ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥ २२ ॥
tato yāti parāṃ gatim ‖ 22 ‖

~~~

etaiḥ-vimuktaḥ: by (from) these + liberated; kaunteya: O Son of Kuntī; tamaḥ-dvāraiḥ-tribhiḥ-naraḥ: by (from) dark + gates + by (from) three + a person; ācarati-ātmanaḥ: he acts + for (in) his; śreyaḥ-tataḥ: best interest + then; yāti: he goes; parām: Supreme; gatim: State

“A person who is liberated from these three dark gates acts in their best interest, O Son of Kuntī, and thus goes to the Supreme State.”

Śloka 16.23

यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य
yaḥ śāstravidhimutsṛjya
वर्तते कामकारतः ।
vartate kāmakārataḥ |
न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति
na sa siddhimavāpnoti
न सुखं न परां गतिम् ॥ २३ ॥
na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim ‖ 23 ‖

~~~

yaḥ: he who; śāstravidhim-utsṛjya: injunctions of the scriptures + having abandoned; vartate: he acts; kāmakārataḥ: according to one’s whims; na: neither; saḥ: he; siddhim-avāpnoti: success + he attains; na: nor; sukham: happiness; na: nor; parām: Supreme; gatim: State

“But having abandoned the injunctions of the scriptures, one who acts according to their own whims attains neither success, nor happiness, nor the Supreme State.”

Śloka 16.24

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते
tasmācchāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ te
कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ ।
kāryākāryavyavasthitau |
ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं
jñātvā śāstravidhānoktaṃ
कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि ॥ २४ ॥
karma kartumihārhasi ‖ 24 ‖

~~~

tasmāt-śāstram: therefore + scriptures; pramāṇam: guide; te: your; kārya-akārya-vyavasthitau: proper action + improper action + in determining; jñātvā: having understood; śāstravidhāna-uktam: rules of scripture + as stated; karma: action; kartum-iha-arhasi: to perform + in this world + you should

“Therefore, let the scriptures be your guide in determining proper and improper action.  Having understood the rules of the scriptures as stated, you should perform action in this world.”