Direct answer: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 (The Yoga of Division Between Divine and Demonic Endowments) focuses on Divine Nature and Demonic Nature, and teaches krishna lists the divine qualities that lead to liberation and the demonic or materialistic qualities that lead to bondage and suffering, urging adherence to scriptural guidance.
Overview: Krishna lists the divine qualities that lead to liberation and the demonic or materialistic qualities that lead to bondage and suffering, urging adherence to scriptural guidance.
Preparation for Yoga
Total Verses: 24
श्री भगवानुवाच |...
The Supreme Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of being, steadfastness in the yoga of knowledge, charity, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scripture, austerity, and uprightness—
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम् |...
Non-violence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquility, aversion to slander, compassion toward all beings, freedom from greed, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness—
तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता |...
Vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from malice, and freedom from excessive pride—these are the transcendental qualities of those born with a divine nature, O Bharata.
दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च |...
Ostentation, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance—these are the qualities of one born to a demoniac nature, O Partha.
दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता |...
The divine qualities lead to liberation; the demoniac are considered to lead to bondage. Do not grieve, O Pandava—you are born to divine endowment.
द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन्दैव आसुर एव च |...
In this world there are two kinds of created beings—the divine and the demoniac. The divine have been described at length. Now hear from Me about the demoniac, O Partha.
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः |...
Those of demoniac nature do not know what to do and what to refrain from. Neither purity, nor proper conduct, nor truth is found in them.
असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम् |...
They say the world is without truth, without a moral foundation, without God, not created in orderly succession, but born of desire alone. What else could it be?
एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः |...
Holding to this view, these lost souls of small intelligence rise up to perform cruel actions for the destruction of the world—enemies of humanity.
काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः |...
Taking shelter of insatiable desire, filled with pride, false prestige, and arrogance, and through illusion adopting impermanent things, they proceed with impure resolves.
चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः |...
Beset by immeasurable anxieties that end only at death, convinced that the enjoyment of sense pleasure is the highest aim, they conclude that this is all there is.
आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः |...
Bound by hundreds of chains of hope, devoted to lust and anger, they strive to accumulate wealth by unjust means for the satisfaction of their desires.
इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम् |...
They think: 'Today I have gained this; I shall fulfill this desire; this is mine, and that wealth too shall be mine in the future.'
असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि |...
'That enemy has been slain by me, and others too I shall slay. I am the lord, I am the enjoyer, I am perfect, I am powerful, I am happy.'
आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया |...
'I am wealthy and of high birth. Who else is equal to me? I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give charity, I shall rejoice'—thus they are deluded by ignorance.
अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः |...
Perplexed by many anxieties, entangled in the net of delusion, deeply attached to sense pleasures, they fall into a foul hell.
आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः |...
Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with the intoxication of wealth and false prestige, they perform sacrifices only in name, with ostentation, disregarding prescribed methods.
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः |...
Taking shelter of false ego, strength, arrogance, lust, and anger, these envious people blaspheme the Divine within their own bodies and those of others.
तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान् |...
These hateful, cruel, lowest among men—I hurl them repeatedly into the cycles of existence in demoniac wombs.
आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि |...
Entering demoniac wombs birth after birth, the deluded never achieve Me, O son of Kunti, and thus they sink to the lowest destination.
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः |...
There are three gates to this self-destructive hell: lust, anger, and greed. Therefore one should give up these three.
एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः |...
O son of Kunti, one who is freed from these three gates of darkness practices what is good for the self and thereby reaches the supreme destination.
यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः |...
One who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to whim does not attain perfection, happiness, or the supreme destination.
तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ |...
Therefore, let the scripture be your authority in determining what is to be done and what is not to be done. Knowing what is prescribed by scripture, you should act accordingly.