Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16: Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga

Verse 1

Sanskrit Verse

श्री भगवानुवाच

अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिः ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः। दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम्।।16.1।।

Transliteration

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha

abhayaṁ sattva-sanśhuddhir jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ

dānaṁ damaśh cha yajñaśh cha svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam

Swami Sivananda's translation

The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and yoga, almsgiving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity, and straightforwardness.

Verse 2

Sanskrit Verse

अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम्। दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम्।।16.2।।

Transliteration

ahinsā satyam akrodhas tyāgaḥ śhāntir apaiśhunam

dayā bhūteṣhv aloluptvaṁ mārdavaṁ hrīr achāpalam

Swami Sivananda's translation

Harmlessness, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion for beings, non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, and absence of fickleness.

Verse 3

Sanskrit Verse

तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता।

भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत।।16.3।।

Transliteration

tejaḥ kṣhamā dhṛitiḥ śhaucham adroho nāti-mānitā

bhavanti sampadaṁ daivīm abhijātasya bhārata

Swami Sivananda's translation

Vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, absence of pride—these belong to one born for a divine state, O Arjuna.

Verse 4

Sanskrit Verse

दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च।अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम्।।16.4।।

Transliteration

dambho darpo ’bhimānaśh cha krodhaḥ pāruṣhyam eva cha

ajñānaṁ chābhijātasya pārtha sampadam āsurīm

Swami Sivananda's translation

Hypocrisy, arrogance, and self-conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance—these belong to one who is born for a demoniacal state, O Partha.

Verse 5

Sanskrit Verse

दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता।मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव।।16.5।।

Transliteration

daivī sampad vimokṣhāya nibandhāyāsurī matā

mā śhuchaḥ sampadaṁ daivīm abhijāto ’si pāṇḍava

Swami Sivananda's translation

The divine nature is deemed conducive to liberation, and the demonic to bondage. Grieve not, O Arjuna, for you are born with divine endowments.

Verse 6

Sanskrit Verse

द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च। दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे श्रृणु।।16.6।।

Transliteration

dvau bhūta-sargau loke ’smin daiva āsura eva cha

daivo vistaraśhaḥ prokta āsuraṁ pārtha me śhṛiṇu

Swami Sivananda's translation

There are two types of beings in this world: the divine and the demoniacal. The divine has been described at length; hear from Me, O Arjuna, about the demoniacal.

Verse 7

Sanskrit Verse

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः।न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते।।16.7।।

Transliteration

pravṛittiṁ cha nivṛittiṁ cha janā na vidur āsurāḥ

na śhauchaṁ nāpi chāchāro na satyaṁ teṣhu vidyate

Swami Sivananda's translation

The demoniacal do not know what to do and what to refrain from; they have neither purity, nor right conduct, nor truth.

Verse 8

Sanskrit Verse

असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम्।अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम्।।16.8।।

Transliteration

asatyam apratiṣhṭhaṁ te jagad āhur anīśhvaram

aparaspara-sambhūtaṁ kim anyat kāma-haitukam

Swami Sivananda's translation

They say, “This universe is without truth, without a moral basis, without a God, brought about by mutual union, with lust as its cause; what else?”

Verse 9

Sanskrit Verse

एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः।प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः।।16.9।।

Transliteration

etāṁ dṛiṣhṭim avaṣhṭabhya naṣhṭātmāno ’lpa-buddhayaḥ

prabhavanty ugra-karmāṇaḥ kṣhayāya jagato ’hitāḥ

Swami Sivananda's translation

Holding this view, these ruined souls of small intellect and fierce deeds come forth as enemies of the world, intent on its destruction.

Verse 10

Sanskrit Verse

काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः।मोहाद्गृहीत्वासद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः।।16.10।।

Transliteration

kāmam āśhritya duṣhpūraṁ dambha-māna-madānvitāḥ

mohād gṛihītvāsad-grāhān pravartante ’śhuchi-vratāḥ

Swami Sivananda's translation

Filled with insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, holding evil ideas due to delusion, they work with impure intentions.

Verse 11

Sanskrit Verse

चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः।कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्िचताः।।16.11।।

Transliteration

chintām aparimeyāṁ cha pralayāntām upāśhritāḥ

kāmopabhoga-paramā etāvad iti niśhchitāḥ

Swami Sivananda's translation

Giving themselves over to immeasurable cares that end only with death, regarding the gratification of lust as their highest aim, and feeling sure that that is all.

Verse 12

Sanskrit Verse

आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः।ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान्।।16.12।।

Transliteration

āśhā-pāśha-śhatair baddhāḥ kāma-krodha-parāyaṇāḥ

īhante kāma-bhogārtham anyāyenārtha-sañchayān

Swami Sivananda's translation

Bound by a hundred ties of hope, given over to lust and anger, they strive to obtain hoards of wealth by unlawful means for sensual enjoyment.

Verse 13

Sanskrit Verse

इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम्।इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम्।।16.13।।

Transliteration

idam adya mayā labdham imaṁ prāpsye manoratham

idam astīdam api me bhaviṣhyati punar dhanam

Swami Sivananda's translation

“I have gained this today; I will fulfill this desire of mine; this is mine, and this wealth will be mine in the future.”

Verse 14

Sanskrit Verse

असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि।ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी।।16.14।।

Transliteration

asau mayā hataḥ śhatrur haniṣhye chāparān api

īśhvaro ’ham ahaṁ bhogī siddho ’haṁ balavān sukhī

Swami Sivananda's translation

“I have slain that enemy, and I shall slay others too. I am the Lord; I enjoy, I am perfect, powerful, and happy.”

Verse 15

Sanskrit Verse

आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया।यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः।।16.15।।

Transliteration

āḍhyo ’bhijanavān asmi ko ’nyo ’sti sadṛiśho mayā

yakṣhye dāsyāmi modiṣhya ity ajñāna-vimohitāḥ

aneka-chitta-vibhrāntā moha-jāla-samāvṛitāḥ

prasaktāḥ kāma-bhogeṣhu patanti narake ’śhuchau

Swami Sivananda's translation

“I am wealthy and born into a noble family. Who is my equal? I shall perform sacrifices, give charity, and rejoice,” thus deluded by ignorance.

Verse 16

Sanskrit Verse

अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः।प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ।।16.16।।

Transliteration

aneka-citta-vibhrāntā moha-jāla-samāvṛtāḥ prasaktāḥ kāma-bhogeṣu patanti narake ‘śucau

Swami Sivananda's translation

Bewildered by many fancies, entangled in the snare of delusion, addicted to the gratification of lust, they fall into a foul hell.

Verse 17

Sanskrit Verse

आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः।यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्।।16.17।।

Transliteration

ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhana-māna-madānvitāḥ

yajante nāma-yajñais te dambhenāvidhi-pūrvakam

Swami Sivananda's translation

Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform sacrifices in name only for ostentation, contrary to scriptural ordinances.

Verse 18

Sanskrit Verse

अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः।मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः।।16.18।।

Transliteration

ahankāraṁ balaṁ darpaṁ kāmaṁ krodhaṁ cha sanśhritāḥ

mām ātma-para-deheṣhu pradviṣhanto ’bhyasūyakāḥ

Swami Sivananda's translation

Given over to egoism, power, haughtiness, lust, and anger, these malicious people hate Me in their own bodies and in the bodies of others.

Verse 19

Sanskrit Verse

तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान्।क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु।।16.19।।

Transliteration

tān ahaṁ dviṣhataḥ krūrān sansāreṣhu narādhamān

kṣhipāmy ajasram aśhubhān āsurīṣhv eva yoniṣhu

Swami Sivananda's translation

Those cruel haters, the worst among men in the world, I hurl those evil-doers into the wombs of demons only.

Verse 20

Sanskrit Verse

असुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि।मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम्।।16.20।।

Transliteration

āsurīṁ yonim āpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani

mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yānty adhamāṁ gatim

Swami Sivananda's translation

Entering into demoniacal wombs and deluded, birth after birth, they do not attain Me, thus falling, O Arjuna, into a condition still lower than that.

Verse 21

Sanskrit Verse

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः।कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत्।।16.21।।

Transliteration

tri-vidhaṁ narakasyedaṁ dvāraṁ nāśhanam ātmanaḥ

kāmaḥ krodhas tathā lobhas tasmād etat trayaṁ tyajet

Swami Sivananda's translation

There are three gates to this hell, destructive of the self: lust, anger, and greed; therefore, one should abandon these three.

Verse 22

Sanskrit Verse

एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः।आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम्।।16.22।।

Transliteration

etair vimuktaḥ kaunteya tamo-dvārais tribhir naraḥ

ācharaty ātmanaḥ śhreyas tato yāti parāṁ gatim

Swami Sivananda's translation

A person who is liberated from these three gates of darkness, O Arjuna, practices what is beneficial for them and thus goes to the Supreme Goal.

Verse 23

Sanskrit Verse

यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः।न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्।।16.23।।

Transliteration

yaḥ śhāstra-vidhim utsṛijya vartate kāma-kārataḥ

na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim

Swami Sivananda's translation

He who, having cast aside the ordinances of the scriptures, acts under the impulse of desire, does not attain perfection, nor happiness, nor the Supreme Goal.

Verse 24

Sanskrit Verse

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ। ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि।।16.24।।

Transliteration

tasmāch chhāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te kāryākārya-vyavasthitau

jñātvā śhāstra-vidhānoktaṁ karma kartum ihārhasi

Swami Sivananda's translation

Therefore, let the scripture be thy authority in determining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done. Having known what is said in the ordinance of the scriptures, thou shouldst act in this world.

See also: Commandments in Bhagavad Gita


Reference: Bhagavad Gita