Bhagavadgita Parayana - Chapter 16

ahiṃsā satyamakrōdhaḥ tyāgaḥ śāntirapaiśunam । dayā bhūtēṣvalōluptvaṃ mārdavaṃ hrīrachāpalam ॥2॥

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

tējaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucham adrōhō nātimānitā । bhavanti sampadaṃ daivīm abhijātasya bhārata ॥3॥

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

dambhō darpō'bhimānaścha krōdhaḥ pāruṣyamēva cha । ajñānaṃ chābhijātasya pārtha sampadamāsurīm ॥4॥

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

daivī sampadvimōkṣāya nibandhāyāsurī matā । mā śuchaḥ sampadaṃ daivīm abhijātō'si pāṇḍava ॥5॥

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

dvau bhūtasargau lōkē'smin daiva āsura ēva cha । daivō vistaraśaḥ prōktaḥ āsuraṃ pārtha mē śṛṇu ॥6॥

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.

pravṛttiṃ cha nivṛttiṃ cha janā na vidurāsurāḥ । na śauchaṃ nāpi chāchāraḥ na satyaṃ tēṣu vidyatē ॥7॥

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

asatyamapratiṣṭhaṃ tē jagadāhuranīśvaram । aparasparasambhūtaṃ kimanyatkāmahaitukam ॥8॥

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?"

ētāṃ dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmānō'lpabuddhayaḥ । prabhavantyugrakarmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagatō'hitāḥ ॥9॥

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

kāmamāśritya duṣpūraṃ dambhamānamadānvitāḥ । mōhādgṛhītvāsadgrāhān pravartantē'śuchivratāḥ ॥10॥

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

chintāmaparimēyāṃ cha pralayāntāmupāśritāḥ । kāmōpabhōgaparamāḥ ētāvaditi niśchitāḥ ॥11॥

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.

āśāpāśaśatairbaddhāḥ kāmakrōdhaparāyaṇāḥ । īhantē kāmabhōgārtham anyāyēnārthasañchayān ॥12॥

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.

idamadya mayā labdham imaṃ prāpsyē manōratham । idamastīdamapi mē bhaviṣyati punardhanam ॥13॥

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

asau mayā hataḥ śatṛḥ haniṣyē chāparānapi । īśvarō'hamahaṃ bhōgī siddhō'haṃ balavānsukhī ॥14॥

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

āḍhyō'bhijanavānasmi kō'nyō'sti sadṛśō mayā । yakṣyē dāsyāmi mōdiṣyē ityajñānavimōhitāḥ ॥15॥

"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.

anēkachittavibhrāntāḥ mōhajālasamāvṛtāḥ । prasaktāḥ kāmabhōgēṣu patanti narakē'śuchau ॥16॥

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

ātmasambhāvitāḥ stabdhāḥ dhanamānamadānvitāḥ । yajantē nāmayajñaistē dambhēnāvidhipūrvakam ॥17॥

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

ahaṅkāraṃ balaṃ darpaṃ kāmaṃ krōdhaṃ cha saṃśritāḥ । māmātmaparadēhēṣu pradviṣantō'bhyasūyakāḥ ॥18॥

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

tānahaṃ dviṣataḥ krūrān saṃsārēṣu narādhamān । kṣipāmyajasramaśubhān āsurīṣvēva yōniṣu ॥19॥

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

āsurīṃ yōnimāpannāḥ mūḍhā janmani janmani । māmaprāpyaiva kauntēya tatō yāntyadhamāṃ gatim ॥20॥

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.

trividhaṃ narakasyēdaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ । kāmaḥ krōdhastathā lōbhaḥ tasmādētattrayaṃ tyajēt ॥21॥

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

ētairvimuktaḥ kauntēya tamōdvāraistribhirnaraḥ । ācharatyātmanaḥ śrēyaḥ tatō yāti parāṃ gatim ॥22॥

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.

yaḥ śāstravidhimutsṛjya vartatē kāmakārataḥ । na sa siddhimavāpnōti na sukhaṃ na parāṃ gatim ॥23॥

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.

tasmāchChāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ tē kāryākāryavyavasthitau । jñātvā śāstravidhānōktaṃ karma kartumihārhasi ॥24॥

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.

॥ ōṃ tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsu upaniṣatsu brahmavidyāyāṃ yōgaśāstrē śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṃvādē daivāsurasampadvibhāgayōgō nāma ṣōḍaśō'dhyāyaḥ ॥

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