BHAGAVAD GITA - CHAPTER 16 - DAIVASURA SAMPAD VIBHAGA YOGA

 

BHAGAVAD GITA

CHAPTER 16

DAIVASURA SAMPAD VIBHAGA  YOGA

 

Bhagavad Gita is Lord Krishna's advice to the Confused Arjuna on the Battle field of Kurukshetra.

Each chapter of Bhagavad Gita is designated as a YOGA.

Here is a summary of Chapter 16. Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga. There are totally 24 Slokas in it and I have given here a faithful description of what each Sloka says.

Overall, it is a description of the divine and demoniacal characteristics present in human beings, how they are driven into the demoniacal life style by the three characteristics of desire, hatred and Greed and why we must shun these three Gunas of Desire, Hatred and Greed to achieve good life style and finally attain Moksha or liberation.

Now, let us look at the sloka-wise description :

Lord Krishna addresses Arjuna at the very beginning of this chapter :

1. Fearlessness, purity of Sathva (purity in thought, word and deed), remaining firmly in Jnana Yoga, charitable nature, control over senses(dhamah), Yajna (various sacred deeds and sacrifices), Study of Vedas (svaadhyaaya, including study of self), Tapas (spiritual practice) , honesty(uniformity in thought word and deed, Aarjavam)

2. Non-violence, truthfulness, free from anger, renunciation (giving up), peacefulness, not telling the faults of one to others(apaisunam), kindness to all beings, desire-free ness, soft mindedness, shy-lessness, not hankering after things,

3. brightness (of face, mind and body), courage, purity, non-deceitfulness, egolessness and pride-lessness, these are all the characteristics of one with divine nature. These are called Daivee sampatthi or divine treasures, present in human being.

4. Arjuna ! Deceitfulness(dambhah), pride (darpah), ego(self importance), anger(Krodha), undue Pride in being a man (Pourushyam), ignorance, these are all the characteristics of one born with demoniacal disposition.

5. O Arjuna ! All divine qualities have the quality of removing your bondages. But, the demoniacal dispositions have the quality of creating bondages to bind you. You are born with divine qualities. So, come out of sorrow.

6. O Partha !  In this world, creation of beings is thus of two different types, divine and demoniac. Divine quality beings have been described in great detail (in Sastras) already. Now, listen from me the qualities and dispositions of demoniacal beings in more detail.

7. People with demoniacal qualities do not know either the pravritthi method or the Nivritthi method of living and liberation. They neither adopt Karma yoga method, or karma sanyasa method.

They have no cleanliness or purity and no good habits or Aacharah. They don't follow truthfulness.

8. They go on claiming that - this world is false (asathyam); it has no firm base (aprathishtam); it has no creator (aneeswaram); it is desire causing (kaama haithukam); it is born of male-female samyoga(coming together); so, what else is there to say about it?

They here - means, the people with demoniacal characteristics.

9. They adopt this type of views always, spoil their own minds, become low thinkers, do cruel acts, adopt negative life and are born for  destruction in the world.

10. They are full of unsatisfied desires; they act with limitless ego(dambha), self importance (abhimana), impure daily routines and bad habits, and are in deep delusions(mohaat).

11. They are always filled with limitless tormenting (desireful) thoughts up to their death. They think enjoyments are the ultimate ends of life and are therefore immersed in them till their end.

12.  They are bound by hundreds of bondages consisting of various desires. They are practically,  filled with desires and hatreds. They desire to amass wealth in illegal and unrighteous ways, just for satisfaction of their unrighteous desires.

13. They think -I have secured this now. I can fulfil my desires now. Not just that I have it now. I will again and again get it. I will have all this wealth in future also.

14. They think - This enemy of mine has been killed by me. I will kill others also. I am the Lord(Eswara). I am the Bhogi(the experiencer or enjoyer). I am the Siddha, who has already achieved or fulfilled. I am strong. I enjoy the most comforts (wealthy; sukhee).

15. They think in ignorance and delusion - I am very wealthy. I am born in a high caste. Who is there who is equal to me? I will perform great Yajnas. I will gift. I will enjoy.

16. They are filled with many such mental delusions. They are surrounded by all such bonds of delusions and desires. They fill themselves with all such mental impurities and desires. Being filled with such impurities, they fall finally into the hell.

17. They are filled with self importance; They are lazy; They are filled with ego arising from wealth and self importance; They are filled with pride; And, they perform certain Yajnas for namesake, without following the sastra-laid procedures and purity of mindsets.

18. They are highly Egoistic and believe in their own strength, their own pride, their own desires, and their own angers and hatreds. So they in reality, hate me who is present in themselves and inall others.

19. So, I have to throw them again and again into demoniacal wombs (for re-birth), as they are hate-filled, cruel, cause ominous negative acts, and are of base, lowly natures.

20. O Arjuna !  Such ignorant and foolish human beings who once get into Demoniacal wombs,  get thrown into  lower and lower wombs,  birth after birth - but do not attain to me at all.

21. Desire, hatred(or anger) and Greed are three self destroyers, which are  sure shot entrances to the hell. Therefore, people must give up these three dangerous qualities.

22. O Arjuna ! If a human being shuns these three doors of Tamoguna(or ignorance), he is able to protect and save himself.

If he thus saves himself from these three self destroyers, he gets liberated and attains to Moksha.

23. who so ever shuns the path laid down by the Sastras and acts just for the satisfaction of his desires, he will neither enjoy any sukhas (pleasures and comforts) nor will he attain liberation (Moksha).

24. Therefore, when you have to decide on what to do and not to do, it is the Sastra which is the guiding light. Therefore, Know what the Sastra lays down as your duty. Then  you will become fit and capable, to do that Sastra laid duty.

 

Conclusion : Here ends the Sixteenth chapter called Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yogah - in the Yoga Sasthra, which is a Part of the Brahma Vidya, in the Upanishad of Bhagavad Gita.

It is a part of the Dialogue between Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna.

It describes and categorises divine qualities and demoniacal qualities.

Then, it describes what people possessed by demoniacal qualities are always prone to do, what is their destiny during life on earth and after death.

It describes the three negative qualities which makes them prone to demoniacal path.

It finally advices all people to avoid those three characteristics of Desire, hatred(anger) and Greed - so that they can come out of the demoniacal life style, enjoy good life on earth and finally get liberated(Moksha).