Understanding the DNA of the Divine and the Demonic
Pursuing my internal quest, I wanted to understand Chapter 16: Daivāsura Sampad Vibhāga Yoga and what qualities make Divine and Demonic so we can reset the wrong to the right.
I have been considering studying Bhagavad Gita for quite a long time but never could take up the study seriously.
When we face challenges, disappointments and confusion, our scriptures provide answers no one can explain.
The root cause of all the problems is not seeing the divine in all humans. We need to identify the supreme consciousness in us and others as the same.
Understanding the Divine and Demonic qualities will help us to reset the negatives to positive ones.
Why 16th chapter of Bhagavad Gita?
The 16th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is called “Daivasura-Sampad-Vibhaga Yoga” and it discusses the characteristics of those who follow the path of righteousness and those who follow the path of unrighteousness.
The chapter emphasizes the importance of understanding the difference between the two paths and choosing to follow the path of righteousness. It also talks about the qualities of a person who is established in righteousness and how they can attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
The 16th Chapter of the Gita has 24 Slokas or verses, which I have considered seven verses for this blog as these seven verses provide solid guidelines for us.
Essential godly qualities are discussed in chapter 16 of the Bhagavad Gita.
The 16th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita discusses several godly qualities associated with a person who has established themselves in righteousness. Some of the critical attributes discussed in this chapter include the following:
- Sattva Guna ( Quality) : This is the quality of balance, purity, and harmony. It is a person’s quality to be free from attachment, egoism, and selfishness.
2. Self-control is the ability to control one’s mind, senses, and emotions. A person with self-control can remain steadfast in the face of adversity and maintain composure.
3. Austerity is the ability to renounce worldly pleasures and focus on spiritual pursuits. A person who practices austerity can detach themselves from material pursuits and focus on spiritual growth.
4. Simplicity: This is the quality of being humble and unassuming. A simple person is free from greed, envy, and desire for power, recognition and prestige.
5. Forgiveness: is the ability to let go of anger and resentment. A forgiving person can maintain inner peace and avoid being consumed by negative emotions.
6. Honesty: This is the quality of being truthful and sincere. An honest person can maintain integrity and authenticity in their actions and words.
7. Wisdom: the ability to understand the nature of reality and the true self. A wise person can see through the illusions of the world and attain spiritual enlightenment.
8. Non-violence is the quality of being non-harmful and compassionate towards others. A non-violent person can maintain inner peace and avoid causing harm to others.
Let us understand the godless qualities discussed
Lord Krishna discusses the qualities of those who have attained a godless state. These include ignorance, arrogance, cruelty, and a lack of spiritual wisdom. Lord Krishna also states that those who have achieved a godless state have a distorted understanding of right and wrong and that their minds and hearts are consumed by a sense of self-importance and a desire for material gain. They are also said to be attached to the fleeting pleasures of importance and easily swayed by their emotions and desires.
People who indulge in worldly pursuits cannot detach themselves from the material world and focus on spiritual growth so they will be far from self-realization.
Some of the Godless Qualities are:
Conceit: This is the quality of being arrogant and vain. An arrogant person is full of ego and self-importance and may have a sense of superiority.
Envy: This is the tendency to be jealous of others and their achievements. An envious person is unable to appreciate the success of others and may resent them for it.
Dishonesty: This is the quality of being untruthful and insincere. A dishonest person may deceive others for personal gain and lack integrity in their actions and words.
Ignorance is the inability to understand the nature of reality and the true self. An ignorant person cannot see through the world’s illusions and may be trapped in a cycle of delusion.
Violence: This is the quality of being harmful and aggressive towards others. A violent person may cause harm to others and may be driven by anger and hatred.
Chapter 16, Verse 3
तेज: क्षमा धृति: शौचमद्रोहोनातिमानिता |
भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत || 3||
tejaḥ kṣhamā dhṛitiḥ śhaucham adroho nāti-mānitā
bhavanti sampadaṁ daivīm abhijātasya bhārata
The saintly virtues of those endowed with a divine nature are
Valour, forgiveness, fortitude ( the quality of courage in adverse situations), purity, and freedom from hate. These are the qualities of those who possess divinity.
Chapter 16, Verse 4
दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोध: पारुष्यमेव च |
अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम् || 4||
dambho darpo ’bhimānaśh cha krodhaḥ pāruṣhyam eva cha
ajñānaṁ chābhijātasya pārtha sampadam āsurīm
The qualities of those who possess a demoniac nature are hypocrisy, pride, arrogance, conceit, rudeness, anger, harshness, cruelty, and ignorance. These qualities are godless we can identify and avoid.
Chapter 16, Verse 5
दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता |
मा शुच: सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव || 5||
daivī sampad vimokṣhāya nibandhāyāsurī matā
mā śhuchaḥ sampadaṁ daivīm abhijāto ’si pāṇḍava
Having described the qualities that make people divine or demonic in this verse, Lord Shree Krishna declares the consequences of both. He says that the demoniac qualities keep one tied to the samsara of life and death, while the cultivation of saintly virtues helps one break through the bondage of Maya and helps in liberation. So let us cultivate the qualities of the divine.
Godly qualities lead to liberation, and godlessness leads
to bondage. Lord Srikrishna reassures Arjuna, “Oh Prince, do not be
anxious; thou hast the divine qualities.
Chapter 16, Verse 7
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुरा: |
न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते || 7||
pravṛittiṁ cha nivṛittiṁ cha janā na vidur āsurāḥ
na śhauchaṁ nāpi chāchāro na satyaṁ teṣhu vidyate
People with demonic nature do not comprehend which actions are proper or improper. Hence, they have neither purity nor good conduct nor even truthfulness.
The demonic nature is devoid of faith in the knowledge and wisdom of the scriptures. Hence, those under its sway need clarification about right and wrong actions.
Chapter 16, Verse 18
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिता: |
मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयका: || 18||
ahankāraṁ balaṁ darpaṁ kāmaṁ krodhaṁ cha sanśhritāḥ
mām ātma-para-deheṣhu pradviṣhanto ’bhyasūyakāḥ
People with the Demonic or Asuri nature, blinded by egotism, strength, arrogance, desire, and anger, abuse the supreme consciousness in their own body and the bodies of others, ignoring that ever-pervading Super Consciousness.
In this verse, Shree Krishna describes more telltale signs of people possessing demonic natures. They are vile, malicious, cruel, belligerent, and insolent. Although they have no moral qualities, they enjoy finding fault in everyone else. They consider themselves all-important, and as a consequence of this self-glorification, they envy others’ success. If they are ever opposed to their schemes, they become enraged and cause agony to others and themselves. Consequently, they disregard and disrespect the Supreme Soul seated within their hearts and the hearts of others.
We need to identify the divine in our hearts and the hearts of all other living beings as the same “Purusha,” the universal person.
Chapter 16, Verse 21
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मन: |
काम: क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् || 21||
tri-vidhaṁ narakasyedaṁ dvāraṁ nāśhanam ātmanaḥ
kāmaḥ krodhas tathā lobhas tasmād etat trayaṁ tyajet
TRIVIDHAM (Three Types): Doors for hell are lust, anger and avarice. They destroy the self and avoid them. Therefore, one should abandon all three to prevent self-destruction.
Chapter 16, Verse 22
एतैर्विमुक्त: कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नर: |
आचरत्यात्मन: श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम् || 22||
etair vimuktaḥ kaunteya tamo-dvārais tribhir naraḥ
ācharaty ātmanaḥ śhreyas tato yāti parāṁ gatim
Those who prevent themselves from these three gates to darkness will endeavour for their soul’s welfare, attaining the supreme goal.
This chapter named as Daivāsura Sampad Vibhāga Yoga /देवासुर संपद विभाग योग, and I understand the purpose of this chapter. It has provided me with a deeper understanding of the Divine and Demonic qualities, and it will probably help me deal with people and see God in all as I see him in me. I am inspired to take up the serious study of The Bhagavad Gita, the Song of God.
