Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 16
Discourse 16: The Divine and the Demoniac
Translated by Annie Besant (1922 4th edition, public domain), 1885. Public domain.
- 16.1
श्रीभगवानुवाच । अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः । दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम्
śrībhagavānuvāca | abhayaṃ sattvasaṃśuddhirjñānayogavyavasthitiḥ | dānaṃ damaśca yajñaśca svādhyāyastapa ārjavam
The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, cleanness of life, steadfastness in the Yoga of wisdom, almsgiving, self-restraint and sacrifice and study of the Scriptures, austerity and straightforwardness,
- 16.2
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम् । दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम्
ahiṃsā satyamakrodhastyāgaḥ śāntirapaiśunam | dayā bhūteṣvaloluptvaṃ mārdavaṃ hrīracāpalam
Harmlessness, truth, absence of wrath, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion to living beings, uncovetousness, mildness, modesty, absence of fickleness,
- 16.3
तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता । भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत
tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucamadroho nātimānitā | bhavanti sampadaṃ daivīmabhijātasya bhārata
Vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of envy and pride—these are his who is born with the divine properties, O Bhârata.
- 16.4
दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च । अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम्
dambho darpo'bhimānaśca krodhaḥ pāruṣyameva ca | ajñānaṃ cābhijātasya pārtha sampadamāsurīm
Hypocrisy, arrogance and conceit, wrath and also harshness and unwisdom are his who is born, O Pârtha, with demoniacal properties.
- 16.5
दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता । मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव
daivī sampadvimokṣāya nibandhāyāsurī matā | mā śucaḥ sampadaṃ daivīmabhijāto'si pāṇḍava
The divine properties are deemed to be for liberation, the demoniacal for bondage. Grieve not, thou art born with divine properties, O Pândava.
- 16.6
द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन्दैव आसुर एव च । दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु
dvau bhūtasargau loke'smindaiva āsura eva ca | daivo vistaraśaḥ prokta āsuraṃ pārtha me śṛṇu
Twofold is the animal creation in this world, the divine and the demoniacal: the divine hath been described at length: hear from Me, O Pârtha, the demoniacal.
- 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
Demoniacal men know neither right energy nor right abstinence; nor purity, nor even propriety, nor truth is in them.
- 16.8
असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम् । अपरस्परसंभूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम्
asatyamapratiṣṭhaṃ te jagadāhuranīśvaram | aparasparasaṃbhūtaṃ kimanyatkāmahaitukam
The universe is without truth, without basis," they say, "without a God; brought about by mutual union, and caused by lust and nothing else."
- 16.9
एतव दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः । प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः
etava dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmāno'lpabuddhayaḥ | prabhavantyugrakarmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagato'hitāḥ
Holding this view, these ruined selves of small understanding, of fierce deeds, come forth as enemies for the destruction of the world.
- 16.10
काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः । मोहाद्गृहीत्वाऽसद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः
kāmamāśritya duṣpūraṃ dambhamānamadānvitāḥ | mohādgṛhītvā'sadgrāhānpravartante'śucivratāḥ
Surrendering themselves to insatiable desires, possessed with vanity, conceit and arrogance, holding evil ideas through delusion, they engage in action with impure resolves.
- 16.11
चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः । कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्चिताः
cintāmaparimeyāṃ ca pralayāntāmupāśritāḥ | kāmopabhogaparamā etāvaditi niścitāḥ
Giving themselves over to unmeasured thought whose end is death, regarding the gratification of desires as the highest, feeling sure that this is all,
- 16.12
आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः । ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान्
āśāpāśaśatairbaddhāḥ kāmakrodhaparāyaṇāḥ | īhante kāmabhogārthamanyāyenārthasañcayān
Held in bondage by a hundred ties of expectation, given over to lust and anger, they strive to obtain by unlawful means hoards of wealth for sensual enjoyments.
- 16.13
इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम् । इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम्
idamadya mayā labdhamimaṃ prāpsye manoratham | idamastīdamapi me bhaviṣyati punardhanam
This to-day by me hath been won, that purpose I shall gain; this wealth is mine already, and also this shall be mine in future.
- 16.14
असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि । ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी
asau mayā hataḥ śatrurhaniṣye cāparānapi | īśvaro'hamahaṃ bhogī siddho'haṃ balavānsukhī
I have slain this enemy, and others also I shall slay. I am the Lord, I am the enjoyer, I am perfect, powerful, happy;
- 16.15
आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया । यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः
āḍhyo'bhijanavānasmi ko'nyo'sti sadṛśo mayā | yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya ityajñānavimohitāḥ
I am wealthy, well-born; what other is there that is like unto me? I will sacrifice, I will give alms, I will rejoice." Thus deluded by unwisdom,
- 16.16
अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः । प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ
anekacittavibhrāntā mohajālasamāvṛtāḥ | prasaktāḥ kāmabhogeṣu patanti narake'śucau
Bewildered by numerous thoughts, enmeshed in the web of delusion, addicted to the gratification of desire, they fall downwards into a foul hell.
- 16.17
आत्मसंभाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः । यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्
ātmasaṃbhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhanamānamadānvitāḥ | yajante nāmayajñaiste dambhenāvidhipūrvakam
Self-glorifying, stubborn, filled with the pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform lip-sacrifices for ostentation, contrary to scriptural ordinance.
- 16.18
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः । मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः
ahaṅkāraṃ balaṃ darpaṃ kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca saṃśritāḥ | māmātmaparadeheṣu pradviṣanto'bhyasūyakāḥ
Given over to egoism, power, insolence, lust and wrath, these malicious ones hate Me in the bodies of others and in their own.
- 16.19
तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान् । क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु
tānahaṃ dviṣataḥ krūrānsaṃsāreṣu narādhamān | kṣipāmyajasramaśubhānāsurīṣveva yoniṣu
These haters, evil, pitiless, vilest among men in the world, I ever throw down into demoniacal wombs.
- 16.20
आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि । मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम्
āsurīṃ yonimāpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani | māmaprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yāntyadhamāṃ gatim
Cast into demoniacal wombs, deluded birth after birth, attaining not to Me, O Kaunteya, they sink into the lowest depths.
- 16.21
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः । कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत्
trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ | kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet
Triple is the gate of this hell, destructive of the self—lust, wrath, and greed; therefore let man renounce these three.
- 16.22
एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः । आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम्
etairvimuktaḥ kaunteya tamodvāraistribhirnaraḥ | ācaratyātmanaḥ śreyastato yāti parāṃ gatim
A man liberated from these three gates of darkness, O son of Kunti, accomplisheth his own welfare, and thus reacheth the highest goal.
- 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
He who, having cast aside the ordinances of the Scriptures, followeth the promptings of desire, attaineth not to perfection, nor happiness, nor the highest goal.
- 16.24
तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ । ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि
tasmācchāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ te kāryākāryavyavasthitau | jñātvā śāstravidhānoktaṃ karma kartumihārhasi
Therefore let the Scriptures be thy authority, in determining what ought to be done, or what ought not to be done. Knowing what hath been declared by the ordinances of the Scriptures, thou oughtest to work in this world.