In chapter 16 of Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta (the Geeta),
Lord Krishna tells Arjuna about divine and demonic features. A person who
cultivates divine qualities is divine like and contrary to this a person who
cultivates demoniac properties is like a demon. Shloks (verses) 1, 2 and 3 of
chapter 16 of the Geeta run as follows:
abhayam
sattva-samsuddhir-gyaan-yoga-vyavasthitih
daanam
damasch yagyasch svadhyayasp tapa arjvam.
ahimsa
satyam aakrodhas tyagah santir apaisunam
daya
bhutesv aloluptvam mardavam hrir acapalam.
tejah
kshma dhrtih saucham adroho natimanita
bhavanti
sampadam daivim abhijatasya bharat.
Hindi Meanings: O Bharta Putra!
Nirbhayata, atmshuddhi, adhyatmak gyaan ka anushilan, dan, atma sayam,
yagyapaaayanataa, vedaadhyan, tapasyaa, saralataa, ahimsa, satyataa,
krodhavihinataa, tyaag, shaanti, chhidranveshana mein aruchi, samast jivon par
karunaa, lobhavihinataa, bhadrataa, lajja, sankalp, tej, kshamaa, dhairya,
pavitrataa tathaa irshyaa aur respect ki abhilaasha se mukti- ye saare divya
guna hain, jo daivi prakruti se sampanna devtulya purushon mein paaye jaate
hain.
Meanings in English: O
Arjuna! Fearlessness, pure heartedness, established in discrimination of spirit
and matter by yoga, charity, self restraint, performance
of sacrifice, study of Vedic scriptures, austerity, uprightness,
nonviolence, truthfulness, aversion to fault finding, compassion to all beings,
absence of avarice, gentleness, modesty and determination, radiance,
forgiveness, fortitude, purity, freedom from malice, absence of pride arise in
one born of the divine nature.
In
Shlok (verse) 4 of chapter 16 of the Geeta, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna about the
properties of nature found in persons having demoniac nature. This verse runs as follows:
Dambho darpo abhimaanasch krodhah paaryshyamev
cha
Agyaanam
chaabhijaatasya paarth sampadmaasurim.
Hindi Meanings: hey Paarth! Dambha, darp, abhimaan, krodh,
kathorataa tathaa ayaan – ye aasuri swabhaav waalon ke guna hain.
Meanings in English: Pseudo-religiosity, pretentious-pride, conceitful
arrogance, anger, harshness and ignorance arise in one born of demoniac nature.
In the verses next to verse 3 of chapter 16, Lord
Krishna tells Arjuna in detail about the properties of persons of demoniac
nature.
While describing properties of persons of divine
and demoniac natures, words ‘arise in one born with ….’ have been used. This
does not mean that a person born with demoniac nature cannot cultivate
properties which can make him divine.
While
describing properties of demoniac nature, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna about the
three doorways of hell and asks him to abandon them. Shlok 21 (verse 21) of
Chapter 16 runs as under:
trividhim
naraksyedam dwaaram naashanmaatmanah
kaamah
krodhastathaa lobhastsmaadetatrayam tyajet.
Hindi Meanings: Kaam, krodh tathaa lobh narak ke teen dwaar hai.
Ye teenon aatma ke liye vinashkari hai. ateva inhein tyaag denaa chaahiye.
Meanings in English: The three kinds of doorways to hell are lust,
anger and greed; therefore these three are so destructive to the embodied self
must be abandoned.
In verse 24 of chapter 16, Lord Krishna asks Arjuna
to understand the difference in between the karma and akarma and tells him to do
the karma (as against akarma which is not to be done) so that he may improve
himself. This verse runs as under:
gyaatwaa
shaastravidhaanoktam karm kartumihaarhasi.
Hindi Meanings: Isliye tumhein shaastron ke vidhaan ke ausaar kyaa
karne layak hai aur kyaa karne layak nahin hai nishchit karke shaastron ki
vidhi ke anusaar karma karna chaahiye.
Meanings in English: Therefore, the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures
in ascertaining what should be done and what should not be done are your
authority; knowing the ordinances of the Vedic scriptures as prescribed, you
should perform actions in this world as a matter of duty.
As a writer of this post, I will request my friends
that even if we cannot adopt divine properties, we can certainly abandon
demoniac features.
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