Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 - Yoga of Distinction Bewteen the Divine and the Demonical

The Yoga of the Division (Distnction) Between the Divine and the Demonical is the heading of Chapter 16 in the Bhagavad Gita.



In the Bhagavad Gita - Text and Commentary by Sri Sivananda (Sivananda Press Durban SA) the discourse (summary) is as follows:

This discourse is important and very instructive to all persons who wish to attain happiness, prosperity and blessedness generally, and to seekers in particular, who wish to attain success in their spiritual life. Lord Krishna brings out quite clearly and unmistakably here the intimate connection between ethics and spirituality, between a life of virtue and God-realization and liberation. Listing two sets of qualities of opposite kinds, the Lord classifies them as divine and demoniacal (undivine), and urges us to eradicate the latter and cultivate divine qualities.

What kind of nature should one develop? What conduct must one follow? What way should one live and act if one must attain God and obtain divine bliss? These questions are answered with perfect clarity and very definitely. The divine qualities are conducive to liberation and the undivine qualities lead to bondage. Purity, good conduct and truth are indispensable to spiritual progress and even to an honorable life here.

Devoid of purity, good conduct and truth, and having no faith in God or a higher Reality beyond this visible world, man degenerates into a two-legged beast of ugly character and cruel actions, and sinks into darkness. Such a person becomes his own enemy and the destroyer of the happiness of others as well as his own. Caught in countless desires and cravings, a slave of sensual enjoyments and beset by a thousand care, his life ultimately ends in misery and degradation. Haughtiness, arrogance and egoism lead to this dire fate. Therefore, a wise person, desiring success must eradicate vice and cultivate virtue.

In this world three gates lead to hell-- the gates of passion, anger and greed. Released from these three qualities one can succeed in attaining salvation and reaching the highest goal, namely God. Thus the sacred scriptures teach wisely the right path of pure, virtuous living. One should therefore follow the injunctions of the sacred scriptures that wish his welfare and he guided in his actions by their noble teachings.

16.1 - 3 - sri-bhagavan uvaca abhayam sattva-samsuddhir jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih danam damas ca yajnas ca svadhyayas tapa arjavam

ahimsa satyam akrodhas tyagah santir apaisunam daya bhutesv aloluptvam mardavam hrir acapalam

tejah ksama dhrtih saucam adroho nati-manita bhavanti sampadam daivim
abhijatasya bharata

The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purification of one's existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity and simplicity; nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger; renunciation, tranquility, aversion to faultfinding, compassion and freedom from covetousness; gentleness, modesty and steady determination; vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy and the passion for honor--these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.

16.4 - dambho darpo 'bhimanas ca krodhah parusyam eva ca ajnanam cabhijatasya partha sampadam asurim - Arrogance, pride, anger, conceit, harshness and ignorance--these qualities belong to those of demoniac nature, O son of Prtha.

16.5 - daivi sampad vimoksaya nibandhayasuri mata ma sucah sampadam daivim abhijato 'si pandava - The transcendental qualities are conducive to liberation, whereas the demoniac qualities make for bondage. Do not worry, O son of Pandu, for you are born with the divine qualities.

16.6 - dvau bhuta-sargau loke 'smin daiva asura eva ca daivo vistarasah prokta asuram partha me srnu - O son of Prtha, in this world there are two kinds of created beings. One is called the divine and the other demoniac. I have already explained to you at length the divine qualities. Now hear from Me of the demoniac

16.7 - pravrttim ca nivrttim ca jana na vidur asurah na saucam napi cacaro na satyam tesu vidyate - Those who are demoniac do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done. Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor truth is found in them.

16.8 - asatyam apratistham te jagad ahur anisvaram aparaspara-sambhutam kim anyat kama-haitukam - They say that this world is unreal, that there is no foundation and that there is no God in control. It is produced of sex desire, and has no cause other than lust.


16.9 - etam drstim avastabhya nastatmano 'lpa-buddhayah prabhavanty ugra-karmanah ksayaya jagato 'hitah - Following such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world.

16.10 - kamam asritya duspuram dambha-mana-madanvitah mohad grhitvasad-grahan pravartante 'suci-vratah - The demoniac, taking shelter of insatiable lust, pride and false prestige, and being thus illusioned, are always sworn to unclean work, attracted by the impermanent.

Click here for remaining verses.

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